KEY POINTS:
Heavy holiday traffic was causing problems throughout the North Island today and police were urging caution.
Drivers heading to destinations in the Auckland, Northland, Waikato and Coromandel regions were warned to expect long delays in traditional bottleneck areas such as the Kopu Bridge at Thames and the Northern Motorway at Orewa.
Inspector William Taylor, of police northern communications, said that shortly after noon there was a 7km queue at Kopu.
Traffic on Auckland's Northern Motorway was at a crawl.
Further south on the Kapiti Coast there were traffic delays both north and south bound on State Highway One between Waikanae and Otaki.
Motorists simply had to display tolerance, said Inspector Ken Climo, of police central communications.
"Police are starting to receive information about a number of incidents involving poor driving, like tailgating, silly overtaking and cutting other traffic off at the end of passing lanes," he said.
"Please take care and live to enjoy another Christmas."
Mr Climo said traffic was also starting to build on the Desert Road, both north and south bound.
In the Wellington region roading contractors were carrying out remedial work on State Highway 2 between Horokiwi and Petone.
Mr Climo said there would be extensive delays for traffic travelling north through the area, and contractors were working to ensure delays are kept as short as possible.
"This remedial work will be on going over the next three days and contractors will be working up until 7pm hours daily," he said.
"Motorists who must travel to the Hutt Valley may consider using State Highway One, then State Highway 58 (Haywards) as a means of getting into the Hutt Valley."
- NZPA
