A busy few days of events in Canterbury will mean more vehicles on the roads and increased congestion, with road users advised to expect delays and plan ahead.

Heavy rain forecast over the next few days may also add further complications to peoples’ travel.

The Muscle Car Madness event comes to North Canterbury from tomorrow, when a twilight cruise featuring a convoy of classic cars, hot rods and vintage vehicles winds its way from Rangiora to Kaiapoi and then back to Rangiora, starting from about 7pm on Thursday.

The cruise route, including State Highway 71/Lineside Road, will be heavily congested during this time as spectators line the streets to see the convoy. Road users not participating in the event are urged to avoid the area or delay their travel if they can. 

More vehicles are also likely to be on the roads around North Canterbury through until the weekend as the Muscle Car Madness events continue.

In Christchurch at the weekend, roads around Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch will be hectic as thousands turn out to see pop superstar Ed Sheeran perform on both Saturday and Sunday nights. People should expect increased traffic volumes on roads in the vicinity, including on State Highways 73, 75 and 76.

Other highways, especially State Highway 1, leading into Christchurch are also likely to be busier as people from out of town travel to and from the city for the shows.

Gates to the Ed Sheeran gigs open at 4pm and concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early and to consider options other than driving, because of traffic congestion and pressure on parking. More information about the shows is available here - https://www.venuesotautahi.co.nz/whats-on/ed-sheeran

Leading into these events, MetService has a heavy rain watch in place for Canterbury from 6pm tonight through to 1pm tomorrow. Further rain is expected through until the weekend, including strong southwesterly winds on Saturday and Sunday (so concertgoers might want to be prepared and dress accordingly).

Plan for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook Canterbury & West Coast: facebook.com/nztacwc/
• X NZTA: x.com/nztamain
• X Canterbury & West Coast: x.com/nztacwc
• Instagram: instagram.com/nztransportagency
• TikTok: tiktok.com/@nztransportagency
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

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