Covid 19 coronavirus: Big increase in vehicles turned around at police checkpoints

Police close the State Highway 1 motorway at Bombay after the Auckland region went into alert level 3.

Police say there has been a sharp increase in the number of motorists being turned around at Covid checkpoints in Auckland.

Police have processed 86,685 vehicles at the 13 checkpoints as of 4pm yesterday - with 4781 motorists having to be turned around.

Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers said that on Monday and Tuesday police turned around a "significantly higher number of vehicles" than they had in previous days.

Police were taking a "firm approach" when it comes to allowing people in and out of the region, he said.

"We are seeing less queues at the main checkpoints and people much more ready with their documentation but we must stress that there will still be wait times at peak hours."

Chambers said police were doing their best to process vehicles as quickly as possible but it was important officers ensured travel in or out of the city was for legitimate reasons.

"We are really thankful to our community who have been incredibly receptive to our checkpoints and understanding that police must be provided with relevant documentation or exemption letters to allow people in and out of Auckland."

Chambers wanted to also acknowledge the police staff and New Zealand Defence Force workers who were operating these checkpoints.

"It has been particularly wet weather conditions today and is expected to continue, so a big thanks to all of the collective hard work going into making these checkpoints run as smoothly as we can."

Earlier this week police bolstered the number of checkpoints in South Auckland by three to eight.

The new checkpoints were placed at Pinnacle Hill/Medhurst Rd, Buckville Rd/Harrisville Rd and Mill Rd/Razorback Rd.

On Monday, Chantel Boshoff told the Herald she had observed from her kitchen window a truck moving a few centimetres in 45 minutes along State Highway 1.

She said a friend left Pokeno at 5.45am to work in Auckland and took two hours to approach the checkpoint at Nikau Rd at Bombay before getting turned around and sent home.

The friend, who works at Ports of Auckland and had a letter allowing him to work, had previously been allowed through a checkpoint at Razorback Rd, she said.