NZTA figures show a surge in Aucklanders heading out of the city and towards holiday hotspots in the hours before the city's borders shut on Sunday night. Auckland mayor Phi Goff yesterdayalso urged Aucklanders to stay put and warned them they would be turned around if they attempted to head to their baches. Vehicle numbers heading south peaked at 10pm on Sunday night just hours before Auckland went back into level 3 lockdown. In the north, Kaipara mayor Dr Jason Smith said he was not aware of an increase in Aucklanders in the district particularly in beautiful holiday hot spots like Mangawhai. Smith said he had been at the checkpoints on Monday and said there were four times more motorists heading south than those heading north.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 16, 2021 02:22 UTC