If you're planning to head south on State Highway 1 near Cambridge, expect hold-ups.

Police are warning of 'heavy delays” on the southbound lane, south of Cambridge and towards the Tauranga turn-off.

These are due to holiday traffic, police said, and motorists are advised to take care, use alternative routes and expect delays.

In the leadup to Christmas, Waka Kotahi pointed out the area as a potential pressure point – noting southbound on State Highway 1 Karāpiro to Tīrau was likely to be busy from 23 December until 26 December and northbound during the first few days of 2023.

'Congestion and delays are inevitable in peak times,” says a statement from David Speirs, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's director of regional relationships.

'However if everyone leaves plenty of time for their journey, drives to the conditions and plans ahead before leaving home, frustrations can be eased and everyone can concentrate on arriving safely at their destination."

A Holiday Journeys traffic prediction tool can help with planning, as it shows predicted traffic flow across popular journeys over the Christmas and New Year's holiday, based on previous years travel patterns.

Other tricky traffic areas include the Coromandel, where northbound traffic on State Highway 25 around Tairua is likely to be very heavy on Christmas Day and early afternoons Boxing Day and December 27, Waka Kotahi says.

Southbound around Tairua will be busy from New Year's Day and drivers should expect busy traffic throughout the first week of the year in both directions.

SH2 between Pōkeno and Maramarua is expected to be busy eastbound in the afternoons to Boxing Day, and again around New Years. Westbound, January 8 is the day to watch with heavy traffic anticipated early afternoon.

In the Bay of Plenty, traffic is likely to be at its heaviest on SH2 eastbound between Paeroa and Waihī on Monday 26 December from late morning until early afternoon, and again on January 2.

SH2 will also be busy northbound and southbound between Tauranga and Katikati in the leadup to Christmas and over New Year's.

On State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Range west of Tauranga, expect it to be busy eastbound to Boxing Day.

And Waka Kotahi's traffic prediction tool indicates drivers should expect heavy traffic on January 8 between 2 and 4pm.

Stuff