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NZTA / Supplied
Traffic was heavy at the junction of Auckland’s South and Southwest motorways on Saturday.
Emergency services are off to a busy start to Labor weekend, with a series of crashes, including several serious crashes, across the country.
Follow warnings from travel authorities to be careful on the roads during Labor weekend, Auckland’s first long weekend since lockdown restrictions were lifted.
There were at least four crashes on State Highway 1 in Auckland between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager Dallas Ramsay said.
One of those crashes, between Great South Rd and Hill Rd, involved six vehicles, he said. One person reportedly sustained neck injuries.
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Another accident on the highway between Great South Rd in Takanini involved four vehicles, however, no injuries were reported.
As a result, traffic was slowing down the southbound lanes of the South Highway between Manukau and Takanini around 11 a.m. M.
There was also a lot of traffic on the South Freeway near Epsom, following another four-car accident between Gillies Ave and Market Rd.
One person suffered a hand injury in the accident while another complained of chest pain, Ramsay said.
Google Maps showed that the 31-kilometer trip from the CBD to Takanini was taking around 40 minutes, twice what it usually takes.
A fourth accident, heading south on the North Freeway near Onewa Rd, was causing delays on Northcote Rd. That congestion had cleared by early afternoon.
David White / Stuff
Traffic is heavy for those heading north through the Johnstones Hill tunnels near Orewa.
Further north, SH1 was heavily congested between Waiwera and Pūhoi, a heavy traffic hotspot on long weekends.
Canterbury emergency services were also busy following a fatal accident on Tekapo-Twizel Rd (SH8) near Lake Tekapo Township.
Three others were taken to hospital with injuries.
“The road is blocked and long delays are expected,” the statement said.
Motorists should consider detouring through Waimate toward Kurow, he said.
Police have asked Hastings motorists to avoid the intersection of Railway Rd South and Tollemache Rd West after an accident in which a car rolled over around 1.50pm.
It is not yet known if anyone was injured.
One person was also seriously injured after being hit by a “heavy vehicle” on SH3 near Whanganui’s Westmere at around 2pm.
NZTA / Supplied
Traffic is heavy heading south on the North Auckland Expressway near Northcote Rd after an accident on Onewa Rd.
“The road is closed and there are detours,” read a police statement.
The official toll for the work weekend is three, following the crashes in Gisborne and Upper Hutt on Friday, and the crash in Tekapo.
The figure of one in 2019 was the lowest since records began in 1956 and equates to the previous lowest number of deaths, which was recorded in 2013.
The highest recorded death toll is 16, which was recorded in 1978.
