A file photo of Auckland traffic in 2023. Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia
Is traffic already worse than normal or are Aucklanders just dealing with the usual shock of congestion as everyone returns to work and school?
The spike in Auckland traffic congestion is known as 'March Madness', but travel times are already picking up.
Director of transport advocacy website, Greater Auckland, Matt Lowrie told Nine to Noon travel times appeared to be normal.
"One of the things that happens is that we get lulled into a false sense of security of how easy it is when the traffic is low and during those school holidays.
"The numbers seem to suggest that it's probably similar to last year ... but it's that we've often forgotten how bad it was at this time last year because even throughout after April when March Madness normally runs through to about Easter, it does drop off for sort of the rest of the year.
"We forget how bad it is at this time of year and I think that's part of what is driving the experience that people are having is that we just forget that it's super busy at this time of year and that creates a lot of pressure on all forms of transport."
Lowrie said while they didn't have road data yet, travel on public transport seemed to be about the same as last year.
However, he said indications were that roads were not at its peak yet, with far more congestion still to come in March.
"It's the busiest period of the year on the roads and on public transport and it's basically the highest level of transport demand that exists," he said.
"There's a number of factors behind it and that is things like kids going back to school, people who no longer have taken their holidays so they're back at work and even things like sickness."
There were fewer people sick at this time of year than perhaps in winter, Lowrie said.
"They tend to be more in the office more and then there's also just, for example, university students, they're about to go back shortly and they're also at the start of the year," he said.
"They're quite keen to get into it and all excitement and before some of them start to sort of drop off or work their way around when their lectures are and what have you.
"It's when most people are on the roads and on public transport and everything, travelling around to get to destinations."
Lowrie said constant disruptions meant that trains were only operating at 60-65 percent of what it was prior to Covid.
He said it would take time for commuters to trust the network.
"City Rail Link will absolutely help that, and I think there will be a lot of people who decide to give it a go ... it's particularly from the west of Auckland where the travel times will be significantly lower as a result of the city rail."
That's where people will start to see some behaviour change and giving the trains a try, he said.
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