Drivers across the Bay of Plenty are being advised to plan ahead and leave extra time when travelling this week, as the NZCT AIMS games kicks off and work continues on a $5 million road safety package.

Speed restrictions and traffic management will be in place on roads around the region this week and people should allow extra time to get to their destination, says the NZ Transport Agency's Bay of Plenty journey manager, Nigel D'Ath.

Roadworks and visiting crowds are expected to create delays this week. Photo: File.

'The Transport Agency is finishing off a major road safety improvements programme on State Highway 2,” says Nigel, 'and contractors are also filling a number of potholes that have appeared on SH2 over winter.

'The roads are going to be busier this week with extra people coming into the region for the NZCT AIMS Games, and it is important that people plan ahead and leave home a bit earlier than normal.”

People looking to plan ahead should visit: www.drivelive.nz/tauranga, which has been set up to inform drivers of current journey times to key places.

'The website is linked to high-tech sensors which use bluetooth technology to record travel time around the region,” says Nigel.

'The information is streamed live to the site so travellers know what to expect and can share the information with others.”

Routes on the website include the Tauranga CBD to Te Puna, Tauriko, Hairini, Papamoa, Te Puke and further afield to Waihi and across the Kaimai Range as well as Whakatane and Rotorua.

The DriveLive initiative aims to help people plan ahead, work out the best time to travel predict likely arrival times.

Road works, events and other changes that may cause more than five minutes delay are detailed below:

NZCT AIMS Games. Sunday, September 6 – Friday, September 11

Drivers should allow an extra five-to-10 minutes to normal travel time due to increased traffic during the day, particularly before and after school hours leading to BayPark, Blake Park Waipuna Park.

SH2 Tauranga to Waihi – Safety Works

Stop/go traffic management, lane changes and speed restrictions will be in place along parts of SH2 between Tauranga and Waihi this month as a major safety improvement programme continues.

Contractors will be working on nine sites on the route and motorists are advised to allow an extra 10 minutes when travelling on this route. The work is expected to be completed by late September.

SH2 north of Tauranga – road maintenance 'mill and fill”

Speed restrictions and lane closures will be in place on various SH2 sites from September 7 through to September 11 while contractors mill out sections of the road and resurface it with asphaltic concrete.

Drivers should allow an extra 10 minutes when travelling this route, particularly between 9am and 4pm.

SH29A Tauranga – Maungatapu underpass project

A 50km/h speed restriction, diversions and lane closures will be in place this month while contractors clear vegetation and carry out other work in preparation for the construction of the Maungatapu underpass.

The work will be carried out on weekdays between the hours of 9am and 4pm to minimise disruption to traffic.