Drivers who are waiting for the road to open have been offered a cuppa at Tukorehe Marae.
Photo: Supplied / Tūkorehe Marae
A marae near the scene of crash that has closed State Highway 1 between Ōtaki and Levin has opened its doors to stuck drivers.
State Highway 1 at Manakau is expected to remain closed for several hours following an earlier crash near Whakahoro Road.
Emergency services were called to the two-vehicle crash near Manakau around 10.20am between Whakahoro and Kuku East Roads, and remain on site.
Police said Te Iwi o Ngāti Tukorehe Marae just north of Manakau has opened its doors to drivers waiting for the road to open and is providing cups of tea.
A worker at a nearby business said traffic in the southbound lane was at a standstill.
“It’s very quiet and the traffic has just stopped. You can hear people’s voices rather than the drone of the traffic.
“There’s a line of traffic – trucks, cars – nothing travelling north.”
They thought it was “fabulous” that the nearby marae had opened its doors to waiting drivers.
Earlier this month, members of the Horowhenua-based iwi Ngāti Tukorehe said they would fly their flags even higher along State Highway 1 after what they said was a “racist” attack after several of the Tino Rangatira flags were ripped down.
A social media post on Tuesday said marae members were “offering manaaki in the form of water and access to whare paku to those stuck in traffic”.
“Know us before you judge us. Caring for others is in our blood,” it said.
Police urged motorists to delay any non-essential travel, with diversions via Palmerston North and the Remutaka Hill taking about three hours. .
Flags outside Tukorehe Marae.
Photo: Supplied / Tipi Wehipeihana
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.