15 Dec 2021

Auckland boundary lifts after months of lockdown

3:52 pm on 15 December 2021

Aucklanders are travelling out of the city as the border around Tāmaki Makaurau opens for the first time in 120 days.

Police said traffic was flowing freely early this morning.

Waka Kotahi and the police removed checkpoints to the north and south of the region since the midnight change in restrictions.

Spot checks are happening on roads out of the city, at the airport, and at two new checkpoints in Northland.

The new checkpoints were set at Uretiti on SH1 and on SH12 at Maungaturoto, for northbound traffic only.

Anyone can leave Auckland with proof they are double vaccinated or have recently tested negative for Covid-19.

Transport operators will also be checking on passengers' status.

Even with border restrictions in place, more than 2 million cars have passed through the northern and southern boundaries since the end of August, mostly carrying essential workers.

See how the first day of the soft border around Auckland unfolded with RNZ's live blog:

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