Travel Tips For A Less Laborious Labour Weekend On The Roads

As people gear up to make the most of the first long
weekend in several months by hitting the road, headed for
their favourite holiday spots, NZ Transport Agency Waka
Kotahi (NZTA) is encouraging everyone to drive safe and plan
ahead to avoid the busiest times on state highways across
Auckland and Northland.

NZTA has updated its Holiday
Journeys interactive travel planner for Labour weekend.
The tool shows predicted traffic conditions for popular
routes in Auckland, Northland and further afield over the
long weekend, based on travel patterns from previous
years.

NZTA Regional Manager Maintenance and
Operations for Auckland and Northland, Jacqui Hori-Hoult,
says where possible, people should aim to travel outside the
busiest periods.

“In Northland, delays are predicted
on State Highway 1 at Whangārei for northbound traffic from
late Friday morning, right through until around 7pm that
evening, with the heaviest traffic expected between 2pm and
6pm. Delays for southbound traffic are spread across the
weekend, on Friday afternoon, Saturday from mid-morning
through to lunch and an hour and half either side of lunch
on Sunday. Traffic is busy for much of the day on Monday,
with the worst expected between 11am and
3pm.

“Traffic is expected to be busy on SH1 between
Puhoi and Wellsford between noon and around 7.30pm on
Friday, and again between 10.30am and 2pm on Saturday.
Southbound, people can expect delays on Monday between 10am
and 6.30pm, with the worst predicted between noon and
6pm,” Ms Hori-Hoult says.

“Further south, people
should expect traffic across the weekend for travel
northbound between Bombay and Manukau. Those travelling in
the opposite direction can expect delays between 10.30am and
7.30pm on Friday, particularly between 11.30am and 6.30pm,
and again between 9am and 2pm on Saturday, with the heaviest
traffic expected between 11am and 1.30pm.”

Because
predicted travel times can change based on traffic
incidents, weather or driver behaviour, people should visit
the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website – journeys.nzta.govt.nz
– for real-time travel information, traffic cameras, and
updates on delays, roadworks and road closures before they
travel.

While most work stops before busy holiday
travel periods like the Labour Day long weekend to minimise
disruption to people’s journeys, the State
Highway 16 Newton Road westbound on-ramp will be closed
from 9pm on Friday 25 October to 5am on Tuesday 29 October
to allow crews to work around the clock replacing the bridge
joints.

There will also be lane and speed restrictions
on Newton Road, with traffic flow maintained in both
directions. Piwakawaka Street will be one way during this
time, with entry from Newton Road only. The pedestrian path
from Newton Road to Takau Street will also be
closed.

Ms Hori-Hoult says everyone should take extra
care when travelling over the holiday weekend due to
increased traffic volumes, congestion, tiredness and people
driving in unfamiliar environments.

“We can all take
simple actions to stay safe. That means checking your car is
safe before your journey, keeping your speed down, driving
sober, watching for the signs of fatigue and sharing the
driving.

“Allow plenty of time. You’re on holiday,
there’s no need to rush.

“Drive to the conditions
– whether it’s the weather, the road you’re on, the time
of day or the volume of traffic on the roads.

“Keep
a safe following distance from vehicles in front so you can
stop safely and take regular breaks to stay
alert.”

Tips for safe driving on your Labour
Weekend holiday

Plan ahead. Use our Holiday Journey
Planner to find out when the peak traffic times will be and
time your travel to avoid them.

• Labour
  Day weekend 2024 | NZTA Journey
  Planner

Drive to the conditions, allow
plenty of time and take regular breaks to stay
alert.

• Be patient when driving this summer so
  everyone can relax and enjoy the holidays
  together.
• Keep a safe following distance from
  vehicles in front so you can stop safely.
• Drive to
  the conditions – whether it’s the weather, the road you’re
  on, the time of day or the volume of traffic on the
  roads.
• Take regular breaks to stay
  alert.
• Allow plenty of time. You’re on holiday,
  there is no need to rush.
• For more information,
  check out our helpful holiday driving tips:
  • Driving
    in the holidays

Vehicle
safety

• Your vehicle must be safe to drive before
  you set off on your summer holiday.
• Check that the
  Warrant of Fitness or Certificate of Fitness is up-to-date
  on any vehicle you plan to drive, including
  rentals.
• There are basic checks you can do yourself,
  including:
  • Tyres – minimum tread is 1.5mm but the
    more tread, the better the grip.
  • Lights – check
    that all lights work so your vehicle is visible in poor
    light.
  • Indicators – ensure all indicators work so
    people know which direction you are
    moving.
  • Windscreen and wipers – check for wear and
    tear so you can see the road safely.
• For
  more information on self-checks, visit our Check your
  car web page.
  • Check
    your car – safety
    basics

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