A spill over a lane has led to queues on Auckland's Southern Motorway stretching kilometres.

Traffic chaos: Spill leads to Harbour Bridge motorway gridlock

Author: NZ Herald ,
Publish Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2021, 1:30PM

Motorists heading north over the Auckland Harbour Bridge are being told to take alternate motorways to avoid massive queues stretching 15km after a spill blocked a lane.

A spill on the left northbound lane at 12.20pm had caused huge traffic problems for those wanting to go to the North Shore.

New Zealand Transport Agency said delays were to be expected for northbound traffic as far back as Mt Wellington on SH1 and Newton Rd on SH16.

Those motorists wanting to go north were asked to detour via SH16 and SH18.

UPDATE 12:45PM
The left northbound lane remains blocked to allow for clean up. Delays are to be expected for northbound traffic from Newton Rd on SH16 and Mt Wellington on SH1. Consider detouring via SH16 and SH18. ^LB https://t.co/QsId8N3fru
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) July 9, 2021

A clean-up operation on the bridge was under way.

At 1pm Google Maps showed traffic gridlocked from the harbour bridge to Spaghetti Junction and inching north from Ellerslie. Major inner city roads leading on to the motorway were also at a standstill.