By james art 
Driving between Wellington and Wairarapa could take up to three extra hours, NZTA said.
picture: Pretoria Gordon / RNZ
Five people have been hospitalized after a crash in the Auckland suburb of Bucklands Beach tonight.
St John responded with five ambulances, two rapid response vehicles and an operations manager just after 1am on Saturday.
Four people were taken to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition and a fifth with moderate injuries.
And in the southern North Island, State Highway 2 was closed near Kaitoke after a serious two-car crash near the junctions of Gilbert Road and Waterworks Road
The alert was raised at around 5am, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said.
State Highway 2 was closed between Gilbert Road and Waterworks Road, blocking access between Upper Hutt and Featherston.
“This closure will be extended to cover all of Remutaka Hill, Kaitoke-Featherston,” NZTA said. “The motorway is expected to remain closed for a number of hours while the crash is cleared and the police Serious Crash Unit completes its investigation.
“Drivers should follow the instructions of the emergency services at the scene. Motorists are asked to avoid the area, slow down their journeys or use an alternative route.”
Driving between Wellington and Wairarapa could take up to three extra hours, NZTA said.
Police said one person was taken to the hospital in serious condition and two had minor injuries.
There were also delays on State Highway 59 near Pukerua Bay, with a crash blocking the southbound lane.
“People traveling between Paekākāriki and Porirua should use State Highway 1 as an alternative route.”
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