Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency encourages people to take care if they need to travel for provide or access essential services or supplies over Easter, with rain forecast for Auckland and Northland.

“While everyone should be staying safe and staying home at the moment to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, if you do need to travel to provide or access essential services or supplies, please take extra care,” says Northland System Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult.

While the drought-affected north will welcome the rain, it could also bring problems on the road.

“The hot dry summer has left the ground dried out and hard as concrete, so heavy rainfall is likely to run off and may cause surface flooding in some areas.”

“After an extended run of warm, dry weather like we’ve had, any rain can result in slippery road surfaces. Even a very small amount of rain can make the roads very slippery. In fact, it can be more hazardous than heavy rain because grime and exhaust particles that have built up on the road take longer to wash away.”

Ms Hori-Hoult says road crews will be out making sure the state highway network is open and safe for those who need to travel.

“Once on the road, drive to the conditions and be aware that conditions can change quickly in the rain. We ask that drivers keep safe in these conditions by increasing their following distances, reducing their speeds and taking extra care.”

Use the Transport Agency’s journey planner to check on road conditions and any road closures in your area. Allow extra time for your journey.

Keep up to date with:

· COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19

· Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic

• Facebook: facebook.com/nztaakl
• Twitter: twitter.com/nztaakl
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

© Scoop Media