Traffic on State Highway 1 north of Wellington ground to a standstill for hours on Friday after a serious crash, reportedly between a car and a van.
Emergency services were called to the scene about 4.40pm, and motorists reported huge delays after the southbound lane was closed between the Tawa off-ramp and Glenside on-ramp.
Police said one person was seriously injured in the crash.
Just after 11pm, the Transport Agency (NZTA) said the road had reopened to southbound traffic.
However, it advised drivers to continue to take extra care when travelling along the route.
One driver who contacted RNZ said she had "at last" reached her home in Kāpiti about 10.30pm - after arriving at end of Transmission Gully at 5.30pm.
She questioned why there had been no notification earlier, so drivers could take the Hutt Valley turn-off and detour instead.
Earlier, in an update at 8.05pm, NZTA said the Serious Crash Unit was undertaking an investigation, which would require the road to remain closed to southbound travellers for a few more hours.
One stuck driver told RNZ "people seem to be panicking and trying to drive up the shoulder".
"They are trying to cut each other off. Seems pointless because no one is moving."
Another person said after four hours, some people had started parking their cars and walking away across the motorway to wait elsewhere.
Elise Bailey said she had seen more than 20 people, including some with toddlers, walk along the motorway and cross over the median barrier into oncoming traffic.
"Having to cross across oncoming traffic ... traffic is still moving on the northbound side - people having to cross across with kids in order to get off the motorway."
Bailey was one of them, and was waiting at a nearby McDonald's to stay warm when she spoke to RNZ.
She said there had been no police cordon turning people away from the motorway at 5.15pm, and no communication from the police while she was waiting.
"Not one single police officer or any other personnel from anywhere have come down from Porirua on-ramp."
She said an update from police "to know that it could be another hour or two before moving" would have provided some relief.
Bailey was concerned about how she and others would be able to return to their cars once the traffic cleared.
"Walking perhaps one or two kilometres along the motorway ... there's no other way of returning to your car."
Do you know more? Email news@rnz.co.nz
Read the full article at RNZ (Radio New Zealand) →📄Source document: Transport Agency (NZTA)
4 reports
RNZ (Radio New Zealand)State / PublicCenter2 days agoA serious crash on State Highway 1 north of Wellington caused significant traffic disruptions, with the southbound lane closed for several hours. Emergency services responded to the incident, which involved a car and a van, resulting in one person being seriously injured. The road was eventually reopened late into the evening, but drivers faced prolonged delays and frustration. Some motorists attempted to navigate around the closure by using the shoulder or taking alternate routes, while others abandoned their vehicles and walked away.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual account of a traffic incident without any apparent ideological framing. It reports on the event, the response from emergency services, and the impact on drivers, without showing preference for any particular political stance or agenda.
Official sources cited
- government Transport Agency (NZTA)
- government Police
RNZ (Radio New Zealand)State / PublicCenter2 days ago Drivers stuck for hours after serious crash closes part of SH1 north of WellingtonA serious crash on State Highway 1 north of Wellington caused significant traffic disruptions, with the southbound lane closed for several hours. Emergency services responded to the incident, which involved a car and a van, resulting in one person being seriously injured. The road was eventually reopened late into the evening, but drivers faced prolonged delays and frustration. Some motorists attempted to navigate around the closure by using the shoulder or taking alternate routes, while others abandoned their vehicles and walked away.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual account of a traffic incident without any apparent ideological framing. It reports on the event, the response from emergency services, and the impact on drivers, without showing preference for any particular political stance or agenda.
Official sources cited
- government Transport Agency (NZTA)
- government Police
RNZ (Radio New Zealand)State / PublicCenter2 days ago Serious crash closes part of SH1 north of WellingtonA serious crash has caused significant traffic disruptions on State Highway One north of Wellington. The southbound lane between the Tawa off-ramp and Glenside on-ramp was closed following a collision involving two vehicles around 4:40 pm. Emergency services responded to the incident, and police confirmed one person sustained serious injuries. Authorities have advised drivers to avoid the area due to expected delays.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a straightforward account of a traffic incident with no apparent ideological framing, emphasis, or biased language. It focuses solely on factual details such as the location, time, and consequences of the crash without any political commentary or slant.
Official sources cited
- government Police Statement
RNZ (Radio New Zealand)State / PublicCenter4 days ago Airport access blocked after two-vehicle crash on SH20 in AucklandA two-vehicle crash occurred on State Highway 20 in Māngere, South Auckland, around 6:50 am on Wednesday. The incident involved a car and a motorbike. Emergency services responded to the scene, and while there were no significant injuries reported, two airport-bound lanes were temporarily blocked, leading to traffic congestion. Motorists are advised to avoid the area or expect delays.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a traffic incident with no political implications. It provides factual details about the crash, emergency response, and traffic impact without any apparent bias or ideological framing.
NZ