23 Mar 2017

No surprise, Adele spelled traffic hell

7:32 pm on 23 March 2017

There were significant traffic delays across Auckland as music fans flocked to Adele's first New Zealand concert.

Adele accepts the award for Record of the Year for 'Hello,' onstage during The 59th GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on 12 February, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

Adele won gold at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in February. Photo: AFP

Tonight's show coincided with rush-hour traffic and Auckland Transport warned people to allow several hours to get to Mount Smart Stadium.

The NZ Transport Agency said earlier that people heading south on the northern motorway should consider taking State Highway 18 and 16.

A truck breakdown also blocked traffic tonight, on the S-bend from the northern motorway to the north-western motorway, it said.

Extra trains and buses were running.

Earlier, Dunedin Airport said those flying out of the city for the concert had made things "pretty busy".

Adele traffic delays: State Highway 16 in Auckland.

State Highway 16 in Auckland, looking east from Lincoln Rd at 6.52pm. Photo: NZTA

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs