Southland motorists face a challenging time on the roads in the coming week due to repairs from recent flooding and increased traffic.
Discarded items following the flooding in Mataura. Photo: RNZ / Sarah Robson
Thousands of motorcyclists will be heading home from the Burt Munro Rally near Invercargill today and tomorrow.
The Queen / Adam Lambert concert is also being held in Dunedin tomorrow night and people have been starting to arrive at Waimumu near Gore for Southern Fieldays on Wednesday.
Peter Brown from the Transport Agency said there were some basic messages for motorists.
"When there's so much traffic about and a lot of roadworks and repair sites, we want people to stay left, obey the ... restructions that are put in place for their safety and the safety of our contractors."
He said plenty of time should be allowed for travel in the coming week and motorists should remember to be patient.
Meanwhile, volunteer group The Farmy Army is on duty for a second day in Southland with up to 100 people helping farmers clean up after the flooding.
Southland Federated Farmers vice president Bernadette Hunt said the volunteers ranged from teenagers to elderly people.
Locals volunteering with Southland Federated Farmers to help farmers in the aftermath of flooding across the region. Photo: Supplied / Bernadette Hunt
She said while there were a few more people than yesterday, even more volunteers would be needed next week when many more farmers would be ready for help.
Hunt said one job in particular stood out.
"Fences that had water running across them have had a lot of rubbish caught up on them and those fences are effectively useless until the rubbish can be cleared, the fences fixed, and they can be made electric again so they can contain stock."
She said farmers found clearing fences an overwhelming task, but it was an easy job for volunteers to undertake.
