Traffic has cleared in a suburb of Christchurch after a petrol company offered free fuel for an hour this morning.
BP handed out $20 vouchers to the people who missed out in Auckland. Photo: 123rf
BP offered customers free fuel from 11am to midday, at a Linwood petrol station on the corner of Woodham Road and Gloucester Street.
About 12 staff stood on the forecourt in Christchurch during the promotion.
The offer caused severe congestion and traffic jams in the surrounding roads, where traffic management was in place.
Drivers were asked to avoid the area until it was cleared.
Patrons also lined the streets trying to get into BP Connect Ormiston in Auckland this morning.
BP handed out $20 vouchers to the people who missed out in Auckland.
It was estimated about 700 people managed to take advantage of the free fuel promotion, both in Christchurch and Auckland.
Last year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined criticism of BP's pricing tactics, saying its behaviour was unfair as it was fixing prices outside of the cost of crude oil, the exchange rate and operating costs.