29 May 2020

Thousands hit road for first long weekend since lockdown ended

From Checkpoint, 5:28 pm on 29 May 2020

Buses are back, campervans are going cheap and thousands of Kiwis are hitting the road for the long weekend.

Rain and crashes are causing problems for some motorists travelling out of Auckland for Queen's Birthday weekend - the first public holiday we've had since lockdown restrictions eased.
 
Two separate multi-vehicle crashes have slowed traffic on the South Western Motorway, just after the southbound Hillsborough on-ramp, with a further incident blocking lanes before the on-ramp.

A crash on the Harbour Bridge has been cleared after causing delays earlier in the afternoon.

In Wellington, traffic was slow heading out of the capital, between Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki and further north, between Peka Peka and Otaki.

However, traffic flows were steady in the South Island.

Plenty of New Zealanders are taking the opportunity to see a slice of their own backyard.

For some it's a holiday - for others it's a chance to catchup with much missed friends and family.

THL, the company which owns Maui and Britz campervans, said all its motorhomes had been snapped up for the weekend following a drop in prices to just $29 a day for some.

THL chief executive Grant Webster said today had been their busiest on record, with the price drops proving incredibly popular.

"We certainly make no money out of these pricings, no one can make money at $29 a day... This is about saving jobs and it literally is, and it's about helping the regional economies.

"It's not about money, it's about doing the right thing."

Campervan travellers RNZ spoke to said the price drop made a huge difference - and they planned on helping small businesses as they made their way around the North Island.

Intercity buses also returned to the road today in time for the long weekend - hundreds of people filled every available seat on offer.

But Intercity general manager Sam Peate said only 50 percent of seats on buses were being sold to maintain physical distancing rules, with hand sanitiser available and changes to boarding protocols.

"Everyone gets a window seat, so that's great news."