Onramp closed after udder chaos on motorway

File photo / Thinkstock

Cows caused traffic chaos on a major motorway south of Auckland after a cattle truck overturned this afternoon, with the SH2 onramp closed until midnight tonight.

Emergency services were called to the truck crash on State Highway 2 near the Bombay Hills at 1:48pm.

Fire Service northern communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said four cows had to be freed from the overturned truck.

Some cows died at the scene and others ran loose on the road, Mr Philips said.

The road was closed while emergency services worked, causing traffic to back up.

Cows were freed from the truck and the scene was cleared by about 4pm.

But the NZ Transport Agency has warned motorists the SH2 onramp will remain closed until about midnight tonight while road repairs are carried out by contractors, following the truck crash.

Diversions remain in place for northbound SH2 traffic:

Motorists should take the southbound off ramp onto SH1, exit at Pokeno and then get back onto SH1 via the Pokeno northbound on ramp to continue north.

SH1 traffic travelling north and south past Pokeno in either direction is not affected by the onramp closure.

- nzherald.co.nz