Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Rotorua has thousands fewer cars on the road as Omicron takes hold

The intersection at Fairy Springs Rd, Lake Rd and Clayton Rd had recorded the biggest drop in cars. Photo / Talia Parker

Omicron has taken thousands of commuters off the region's roads, with one taxi driver describing it as "really quiet".

Data from Tauranga City Council, which collects traffic data for Rotorua, showed the number of cars per day through Rotorua's three busiest intersections on February 21 and March 7. The number of cars was lower in March at all intersections.

The intersection at Fairy Springs Rd, Lake Rd and Clayton Rd recorded the biggest drop of 2383 cars.

The Fenton St and Amohau St intersection recorded 1727 fewer cars in March and the intersection at SH5, Malfroy Rd and Old Taupō Rd recorded a drop of 1607 cars.

The council said data showed there was a correlation between Covid restrictions and lower traffic flows, which was most likely linked with people isolating, and staying or working from home.

Data showed traffic volumes had dropped about 10 per cent from mid-February to March.

On March 7, 24,492 cars drove through the intersection at Fairy Springs Rd, Lake Rd and Clayton Rd. Photo / Talia Parker

Taxi Cabs Rotorua taxi driver Hem Chand said it had been "really quiet" on the roads because of Covid and he only had three or four customers a day.

Chand was at the Rotorua i-SITE on Friday where three buses arrived and "not even one person came to my taxi".

"The main thing is the virus ... and the border is not open.

"You go to the airport [and] nobody comes out. Nobody's travelling, nobody wants to hire taxis."

Ems Flowergirl owner Emily Stevens said the traffic on the roads last week had been like "the middle of the school holidays".

She had noticed a difference in her commute to work and put this down to the number of people isolating.

Stevens said volumes in town during the day were "very light" and there were more empty car parks than usual.

Booth's Transport dispatcher Maree Smith said the roads had been quieter this month due to Covid and roadworks and it "definitely has been a lot easier" for drivers to get around.

"There's still the odd traffic jam but it's not as bad as what we've seen in the past."

Attila's Removals owner Attila Gesztey said "the whole town" had been quieter this month and traffic had been "a bit more down" due to the number of Covid cases.

"I think a lot more people tend to be wanting to stay at home or not be out and about as much."

Toi Te Ora Public Health medical officer of health Dr Jim Miller said there were 25,000 people confirmed with Covid across the Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Board regions and they would be self-isolating.

Each person may have a number of household contacts also isolating, he said.

Lake Rd, Rotorua during alert level 3 last year. Photo / Andrew Warner

The data also showed traffic volumes last year when New Zealand went in to alert level 4 on August 17 after a positive Covid case was detected in the community.

At this time, data showed traffic in Rotorua was about 30 per cent of its normal traffic volume.

On August 31, Rotorua moved to alert level 3 and on September 7 moved to alert level 2.

In September, data showed traffic volumes began to rise again. At the start of the month, it was nearly 70 per cent of its normal traffic volume and by mid-September it was above 90 per cent.