Early Rise Or Day Off - Decide Today
New Zealand Police National News Release
1:20pm 3 July 2008
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=4078

Motorists and commuters in the greater Auckland region are urged to either get to work very early tomorrow morning - before 7.30am - or to avoid travelling on the region's motorways and streets altogether, so as not to get caught up in what will likely be hours of gridlock.

Police have been advised that up to 2,000 heavy trucks will converge on the city's CBD after travelling along northern, southern, eastern and western feeder motorways from about 7.30am.

Even if the truck numbers are significantly less, there will likely be heavy congestion at best in and around the CBD, at least until midday, if not beyond that.

While Police will be out in force to try and ensure public safety on the roads and to facilitate the free movement of emergency response vehicles, substantial delays for travellers are inevitable.

In essence, people should:

• expect long delays on the roading network from around the region• get to work early or not at all• know that bus travel will be affected by the truckies' protest• remain tolerant and act with restraint

Acting Inspector Ross Endicott-Davies of the Auckland City Police District says Police will be doing their best to manage the event and work with the trucking industry.

"Traffic movements within the city will be controlled by SCATS (Sydney Controlled Automated Traffic System) but traffic flows are not expected to get back to normal for several hours after the protest has finished."

He advised anyone who needed to get to the airport for early morning flights, to get there well in advance or to consider and staying overnight tonight in a hotel, or similar accommodation, near the airport.

ENDS

© Scoop Media