March Madness: Bus drivers stop work, 37 Auckland services affected, motorway congestion grows

Drivers on Auckland's Southern Motorway are facing long delays this morning thanks to two crashes heading into the city.

Google Maps is suggesting people take State Highway 20 through the Waterview Tunnel rather than following State Highway 1. A journey from Karaka to the CBD is currently taking 1 hour 15 minutes compared to 30 minutes without traffic.

A crash has been cleared from the Southern Motorway just before 8am. Photo / NZTA

The traffic is likely compounded by reduced bus services this morning, with NZ Bus drivers in a stopwork meeting from 4am - 7am.

About 250 bus drivers were expected to attend the meeting at the Glenfield and Swanson NZ Bus depots after contract negotiations broke down last week. Some buses would be affected till 8am, Auckland Transport said.

Commuters have been warned to expect delays, with the stopwork coinciding with the usual "March madness" when students return to university.

Two crashes on the Southern Motorway have led to long delays. The latest, involving multiple cars, was blocking two right lanes citybound near the Princes St offramp. It was cleared before 8am but drivers were warned to expect delays from Manukau to Ōtāhuhu.

UPDATE 8:00AM
This crash now cleared from lanes. Allow extra time this morning with delays currently from Manukau to Otahuhu. ^TPhttps://t.co/s23PQ0ZPNM

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) March 2, 2020

An earlier citybound crash after Market Rd was cleared from the left-hand lane before 7am.

SH1 SOUTHERN MWY, NORTHBOUND - 6:55AM
A crash has just been cleared from the left lane citybound after Market Rd. Allow extra time northbound this morning. ^TP pic.twitter.com/IsWlMkQTKs

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) March 2, 2020

Auckland's traffic at 6.45am, with moderate delays in some areas. Image / Google Maps

Auckland Transport said the following bus services would be affected: 14T, 14W, 18, 20, 22A, 22N, 22R, 24B, 27T, 68, 82, 105, 106, 110, 125X, 128, 129, 162, 221X, 243X, 321, 650, 755, 762, 781, 801, 802, 806, 807, 814, 842, 843, 871, 923, 924.

Bus services run by other operators and school buses would not be affected and train and ferry services would operate as normal this morning. No school buses are affected.

Similar strikes are set to take place on Wednesday and Thursday at other NZ Bus depots.

Due to industrial action some NZ Bus services will not operate this morning between 4am- 8am. Please see here for list of affected services: https://t.co/TZEglidmlV

Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/haDCuqNuo5

— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) March 2, 2020

Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said about 800 bus drivers would vote over the next few days on whether to take further strike action.