State Highway 1 reopened at Brynderwyn Hills, Waipu after truck and car crash

State Highway 1 through the Brynderwyn Hills has reopened nine hours after a tanker crash.

Motorists were asked to be patient as State Highway One near Waipu while fuel was pumped from a tanker which was involved in a crash this morning.

A northbound car and a southbound fully laden tanker collided on the southern side of the Brynderwyn Hills, south of Whangārei, just after 6.30am today, blocking the road.

While the road was now open, the weather was bad and traffic was still backed up in the area so motorists needed to drive with caution.

The fuel had to be removed from the tanker before it could be shifted off the road, it was expected to take until 5pm this evening, the New Zealand Transport Agency said.

Northbound traffic was diverted through the Paparoa-Oakleigh road while southbound traffic was being diverted down The Braigh at Waipu and through Mangawhai.

Constable Lindsay Weir was unsure when the road would be open but asked motorists to be patient. He said the fuel from the damaged tanker was being pumped into an empty tanker which arrived about 9.40am.

"We're pumping the fuel out because the weight of the truck fully loaded is too heavy to be towed. We need to do this the safest way possible so we don't have another incident."

Once the fuel was been transferred, the tanker involved in the crash was be towed out as a steering mechanism had been damaged.

A woman and child who were in the northbound car were taken to hospital in an ambulance with minor injuries.

A fire crew from Refining NZ and volunteer crews from Maungaturoto were at the scene.

SH1 BRYNDERWYN HILL - ROAD CLOSED - 7:50AM
Due to a crash blocking both lanes #SH1 is now CLOSED with diversions in place (between SH12 and Mangapai) to enable vehicle recovery. Full detour info here: https://t.co/EtWpOmNTCZ ^TP pic.twitter.com/KlPbK7gi9k

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 21, 2018

A fire crew from Refining NZ and volunteer crews from Maungaturoto were at the scene.

Meanwhile, traffic is building up on Auckland's Southern Motorway after a crash and a breakdown.

While the breakdown on the shoulder of the Greenlane off ramp is not blocking lanes, traffic is already heavy due to a crash just before the Panama Rd off ramp between Drury and Takanini.

The crash is causing delays back to Highbrook and congestion through to Mt Wellington.

The rest of the motorway is free flowing however traffic is heavy on the Northwestern Motorway through Royal Rd and slow between Western Springs and The Northern Link.

The Northern Motorway is heavy at times for those heading into the city between McClymonts Rd and Tristram Ave.

In Wellington a crash that blocked part of State Highway 1 heading north out of the capital has now been cleared.

SH1 has reopened for those driving north from Wellington.

The highway was blocked for around an hour this morning after the crash near Johnsonville.

Motorists are being told to expect delays as congestion clears.

The crash happened on the motorway just after the Johnsonville off-ramp around 6 this morning.

The road is the main highway out of Wellington.