Latest news with #NJAshton
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Major update after truckie brought chaos to a busy highway and left 300 vehicles with punctured tyres
A driver has been charged after an estimated 840kg of metal shards came loose from his truck, damaging hundreds of vehicles on a busy highway. About 25km of the M1 Motorway, in NSW, was closed on May 2 after a truck carrying metal debris spilled its contents between Wyong Road and Mount White on the Central Coast. NSW Police said the tyres of more than 300 vehicles had been damaged following the early-morning spill. Commuters experienced major delays, with the arterial roadway only being re-opened to traffic about 10 hours later. Officers spoke with the 46-year-old driver of the heavy vehicle tipper about the matter at the time. On Saturday, he was served with a future court attendance notice for 'drive heavy vehicle not comply loading requirements-severe'. Police allege the secondary locking handles on the trailer were not properly engaged, allowing the debris to spill along the busy stretch of road. NJ Ashton, a trucking company based in Marulan, NSW, operated the vehicle. On the day of the incident, general manager Daniel Falconer said the driver was 'devastated and profoundly apologetic - as are we'. 'We'd like to thank all motorists, and anyone else impacted in some way, for their patience today,' Mr Falconer said. Earlier this month, Mr Falconer told Daily Mail Australia the driver, who had not yet been back on the road, was left in disbelief following the incident. He said the driver was only made aware of the spillage after another road user waved him down, claiming the truck had left a trail of sparks behind it. 'He pulled in a little bit off the road, went and checked his back tailgate and noticed that it was a little bit open and that shards could come out,' Mr Falconer said. 'This guy has been doing the exact same run for three-and-a-half months. The exact same run... and this one day it just turned into a nightmare.' Despite the massive scale of the incident, Mr Falconer said it could have gone 'a lot worse' if more of the truck's 24-tonne load had spilled free. No one was reported injured following the incident. The truck driver is due to appear at Hornsby Local Court on Thursday July 10.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Major development after traffic chaos
The driver of a truck which spilled hundreds of kilos of metal fragments onto the Pacific Motorway on the Central Coast, damaging hundreds of vehicles, will face court later this year after being charged by police. Traffic was brought to a standstill on the Pacific Motorway on May 2 after a truck spilled 840kg of metal pieces across a 30km stretch from Ourimbah to Mount White at about 5am. It was estimated that 300 cars had their tyres punctured as they ran over the tiny pieces of metal, closing the southbound lanes of the highway. It took 10 hours to re-open the highway - prompting some people to abandon their cars - as a massive clean up effort got underway to remove pieces of finely ground steel from the road. There were no reports of injuries and at the time police said it was lucky the incident did not result in a serious accident. At the time, police spoke with the driver of a heavy vehicle tipper which was towing a trailer. On Saturday, the 46-year-old driver was given a court attendance notice after being charged with driving a heavy vehicle not complying with loading requirements. The man is due to appear in Hornsby Local Court on July 10. In a statement earlier this month, trucking company NJ Ashton apologised for the incident. 'We'd like to thank all motorists, and anyone else impacted in some way, for their patience today. The driver is devastated and profoundly apologetic — as are we,' the company said in a statement.
News.com.au
17-05-2025
- News.com.au
Major development after 840kg metal spill which caused traffic chaos
The driver of a truck which spilled hundreds of kilos of metal fragments onto the Pacific Motorway on the Central Coast, damaging hundreds of vehicles, will face court later this year after being charged by police. Traffic was brought to a standstill on the Pacific Motorway on May 2 after a truck spilled 840kg of metal pieces across a 30km stretch from Ourimbah to Mount White at about 5am. It was estimated that 300 cars had their tyres punctured as they ran over the tiny pieces of metal, closing the southbound lanes of the highway. It took 10 hours to re-open the highway - prompting some people to abandon their cars - as a massive clean up effort got underway to remove pieces of finely ground steel from the road. There were no reports of injuries and at the time police said it was lucky the incident did not result in a serious accident. At the time, police spoke with the driver of a heavy vehicle tipper which was towing a trailer. On Saturday, the 46-year-old driver was given a court attendance notice after being charged with driving a heavy vehicle not complying with loading requirements. The man is due to appear in Hornsby Local Court on July 10. In a statement earlier this month, trucking company NJ Ashton apologised for the incident. 'We'd like to thank all motorists, and anyone else impacted in some way, for their patience today. The driver is devastated and profoundly apologetic — as are we,' the company said in a statement.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hundreds of cars get flat tyres after truck spills scrap metal
Hundreds of cars were left with flat tyres after a truck travelling along one of Australia's busiest highways spilled 750kg (1,653lb) of sharp metal shards on the road. The truck travelled for 30km (18 miles) before the scrap metal spillage was detected, authorities said. The incident forced city-bound lanes to close for hours on Friday, with the debris damaging the tyres of at least 300 cars. Some emergency vehicles also had their tyres shredded, New South Wales Rural Fire Service said. "A truck lost a load of scrap metal around 5am this morning, causing extensive debris," the fire service said. New South Wales state police said the incident occurred on the M1 Pacific Motorway near Ourimbah, north of Sydney. The stretch of motorway reopened on Friday afternoon, after being closed for 10 hours. NJ Ashton, the company that owns the truck, apologised and said it was helping with the clean-up. Authorities are using magnets to attract the metal. "It's not just a case of getting a road sweeper out or guys and girls with brooms. We are using some magnetic devices. We are removing embedded metal in the highway itself. This takes a long time," state highway patrol commander Howard Collins told a press conference. The M1 is a freight and commuter route that runs north of Sydney. State roads minister Jenny Aitchison said the situation was "unprecedented". "We are working with all of the resources of government and the private sector to do the clean-up," she said. "It's like trying to hoover up the highway. It's very difficult." The truck driver, a 46-year-old man, was cooperating with inquiries, police said. "We're taking full responsibility for what's happened and are very sorry for any damage and disruption that's been caused," NJ Ashton said in a statement on its website. "We still don't fully understand how this occurred." Mr Collins said the truck had travelled over 30 km (18.64 miles) with debris falling from the back of the vehicle before the spillage was detected. Up close with the 300 tonne driverless trucks Crucial highway cut off as Australian floods worsen
Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Truck spills metal shards across Australian highway, hundreds of cars damaged
The sharp metal debris left over 300 vehicles with tyre damage. PHOTO: NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE/FACEBOOK The sharp metal debris left over 300 vehicles with tyre damage. PHOTO: NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE/FACEBOOK SYDNEY - A truck spilled 750kg of sharp metal debris across one of Australia's busiest highways on the morning of May 2, authorities said, forcing city-bound lanes to close, damaging hundreds of vehicles and sparking traffic chaos. New South Wales state police said the incident occurred on the M1 Pacific Motorway in the early hours of the morning, leaving over 300 vehicles with tyre damage. The M1, a freight and commuter route that runs north of Sydney, remains partially shut as emergency services clear the debris, using magnets and working to "hoover up the highway". State Highway Patrol Commander Howard Collins said it would be 'more than several hours' until the motorway could reopen. 'It's not just a case of getting a road sweeper out or guys and girls with brooms. We are using some magnetic devices. We are removing embedded metal in the highway itself. This takes a long time,' he told a press conference. Mr Collins said the truck had travelled over 30km before the spillage was detected. 'Around about 300 vehicles have been impacted - maybe more - by what now we know is over 700, maybe even 750kg of metal debris from the back of a truck, which spread this metal debris for over 30km,' he said. State Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the situation was 'unprecedented'. 'We are working with all of the resources of government and the private sector to do the clean-up," she said. "If you imagine it's like trying to hoover up the highway. It's very difficult." The truck driver, a 46-year-old man, was cooperating with inquiries, police said. NJ Ashton, the haulage company that owned the truck involved, apologised for the accident and said it was helping with clean-up efforts. 'We're taking full responsibility for what's happened and are very sorry for any damage and disruption that's been caused,' it said in a statement on its website. 'We still don't fully understand how this occurred.' REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
