Motorists have been warned that delays "will be inevitable" as Auckland's border drops for the first time since the COVID-19 Delta outbreak.
Spot checks will be carried out by police on Wednesday at Auckland's northern and southern borders to ensure travellers are either fully vaccinated or have evidence of a negative COVID-19 test - or else face a $1000 fine.
The combination of spot checks, built-up demand to travel regionally, and Cyclone Ruby tracking towards New Zealand, has led to a concession from Waka Kotahi-NZ Transport Agency that delays "will be inevitable".
"In the five days before Christmas last year, more than 200,000 vehicles left Auckland," said Jacqui Hori-Hoult, regional manager operations and maintenance Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau.
"We're anticipating some of this rush to take place earlier this year, which is why Waka Kotahi wants to mitigate disruptions where possible, but road users are advised that delays will still be inevitable."
Waka Kotahi will also monitor Cyclone Ruby as it tracks towards New Zealand. The weather event has the potential to impact the state highway network with heavy rain warnings already in place for parts of the North Island.
"Predicting Aucklanders' movements leading into Christmas and after four months of boundary restrictions is a tough task," says Hori-Hoult.
"If you are planning on leaving please make sure your car is registered, has a current WOF and you check your tyres, windscreen wipers and lights. Be patient and build in time for a safe and stress-free journey."
Police, Defence Force staff and iwi volunteers have been at the frontline of the checkpoints north and south of Auckland since the Delta outbreak.
Since September 6, more than 2.1 million vehicles have been stopped, according to Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers. He said compliance has been high with only 0.9 percent of vehicles turned around for failing to meet the requirements.
Once the checkpoints lift, it'll just be spot checks - except for Northland. Police will be working with iwi enforcement officers at two border checkpoints south of Whangārei on SH1 at Uretiti and SH12 Maungaturoto, for north-bound traffic only.
These checkpoints will operate 24/7 short-term, according to Northland District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill. Police will then move to a new model which will involve random checkpoints and spot checks.
Police will have 74 staff working on a roster to operate the checkpoints on a 24/7 basis. The staff for these checkpoints will come from both Northland and other police districts.
Police will be stopping the vehicles, and former MP Hone Harawira's Tai Tokerau Border Control will assist with checking vaccine passes or proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
Iwi representatives volunteering at the checkpoints have been police vetted, and provided with training on their roles.
"We are mindful that traffic through this region is normally busy at this time of year and motorists will know they need to plan their trip and be prepared," Hill said.
"The checkpoints will not be stopping every car and will not hold up traffic unnecessarily or impede essential travel but travellers should be prepared and expect to be stopped."
The checkpoints are in place to protect Northland from a significant outbreak of COVID-19, given the region has the lowest vaccination rate at 81 percent fully inoculated. Northland is still 4000 shots away from reaching the 90 percent first dose mark.
Tairāwhiti is also vulnerable, with just 82 percent fully vaccinated. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has received a request to enable police-led checkpoints into the region.
Famous for its New Year's Eve gig Rhythm and Vines, Gisborne will miss out this year, with the organisers confirming it will instead take place over Easter weekend in 2022.
A message from Ardern
The removal of the Auckland boundary comes two weeks after New Zealand shifted to the new COVID Protection Framework, or 'traffic light' system, where freedoms are determined by vaccination status and gathering limits.
Auckland, along with more than 10 other regions, begin at the most restrictive red level where gatherings are limited to 100 vaccinated people. But on December 30, every region except Northland will shift to the less restrictive orange level, with no gathering limits for the vaccinated.
There is clearly an appetite for regional travel, with 12,000 flights out of Auckland booked for December 15 when the internal border drops. A vaccine certificate or negative test is required for regional flights and Interislander ferries.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had a message for eager travellers.
"If you're double-vaccinated, which the vast majority of Aucklanders are, just remember to carry your vaccine pass with you when you travel. There will be compliance checks - not everyone, but be prepared," she said on Tuesday.
"For those who are unvaccinated, we're asking you to ensure you've got proof of a negative test within 72 hours prior of travelling, so if you haven't done that yet, pop to a pharmacy - they'll be providing rapid antigen tests and you'll get a result within 15 minutes and you can carry proof of that result with you.
"If you are symptomatic though, do go to a community testing station for a full PCR test."
Rapid antigen testing at pharmacies is only available at no cost for people who are not yet vaccinated and need to get tested for travel. The location and hours of pharmacies offering rapid antigen tests is available from Healthpoint.
The vaccine certificate or negative test result requirement will be in place until January 17.
