Motorists travelling on Bay of Plenty and Waikato roads this Easter are being advised to plan their journey online to avoid joining the holiday traffic queues.

Easter 2015 coincides with the start of the school holidays, and traffic is expected to be heavy on roads and highways around both regions from around 3pm onwards today.

This Easter coincides with the start of the school holidays.

The Transport Agency's Regional Performance Manager, Karen Boyt, says on some highways, such as SH1 between Auckland to Waikato and SH2 Mangatawhiri, vehicle numbers are estimated to more than double as people race to relax at holiday hot spots.

Karen says checking out the Transport Agency's website before packing up the car can help people plan ahead and choose the best routes and times to travel to reduce delays and stress.

'Our travel team have put together graphs which show peak public holiday traffic times to help people decide when to leave home,” says Karen.

'This information is on our website, along with our real time highway information service which will tell you whether there are any travel warnings or closures ahead.

'People can also get the latest road updates by following the Transport Agency on Facebook and Twitter.

'Picking up your mouse or your smartphone before you pick up your keys could save you a lot stress and unnecessary time on the road.”

The Transport Agency will play their part in reducing delays by stopping road works on key holiday routes between the two regions from 12pm today until the early hours of Tuesday, April 7.

Contractors will be on standby to manage congestion at busy intersections, such as SH2 and SH26 in Paeroa at the Criterion Bridge. A number of passing lanes will be monitored and, if appropriate, may be removed on Easter Monday.

Karen says closing passing lanes may seem like an unusual move, but it actually reduces travel time and improves safety.

'Passing lanes are great when traffic is free flowing and motorists have more discretion over their travel speeds,” she explains. 'But when traffic is bumper to bumper, it's like having two queues for one bank teller.

'Closing passing lanes during holiday peaks actually means more vehicles get through and it's safer for everyone.

'The lanes will be appropriately signposted and fenced off with traffic cones, and we're reminding people to obey the normal road rules by keeping left and observing the two second following distance.”

Karen says it's also important to remember that everyone can play a part in making our roads safer.

'We all make mistakes sometimes, but mistakes on the road can have serious or even deadly consequences,” she adds..

'Ensuring that your car is fit for the road, staying alert, keeping your speeds down, being courteous and driving to the conditions are all key elements of a safe journey for you and your passengers this Easter weekend.”

Find out about making every journey safer by visiting: www.saferjourneys.govt.nz

Check the Transport Agency's website: www.nzta.govt.nz for the latest highway information or sign up to: www.onthemove.govt.nz for up-to-date information on what is happening on the route you plan to travel.