Crash And Acid Spill Closes Northbound Lanes Of M1 At Morisset

BY IAN CROUCH

One northbound lane of the M1 Pacific Motorway has been reopened following an overnight crash between a truck and a car at Morisset.

The crash happened at about 11.15pm on Thursday just north of the Mandalong Road exit.

Newcastle Fire Command says the truck was carrying a pallet of 20 litre drums filled with acid and general goods.

The drums fell on the roadway, with several splitting open.

The northbound lanes of the motorway were closed as Hazmat crews used soda ash to neutralise the acid.

They managed to prevent the acid from getting into local waterways.

The clean-up wrapped up just before 5.00am on Friday, allowing one lane to be reopened.

It's understood no-one was injured in the crash.

 

Stolen Car From Sydney Still On The Run In The Hunter

 BY IAN CROUCH

The Polair helicopter has been called in to help search for an allegedly stolen car involved in a series of pursuits from the Central Coast to Lake Macquarie.

An Audi was stolen from Sydney on Wednesday night with police from Brisbane Water, Tuggerah Lakes, Lake Macquarie and the Highway Patrol all involved in attempting to stop the car.

However, the pursuits were called off on each occasion for safety reasons.

Police lost sight of the car at Catherine Hill Bay.

The vehicle is believed to be still in the Lake Macquarie or Newcastle areas and the search is continuing.

Step forward for Black Hill to Raymond Terrace M1 Extension

BY JARROD MELMETH 

The NSW Government has released the environmental impact statement for the M1 Pacific Motorway extension between Black Hill and Raymond Terrace.

The 28-page document outlines the impact of the $2 billion jointly funded state and federal project on the surrounding environment. 

The 15 kilometre road is set to bypass Beresfield, Hexham and Heatherbrae and will see the construction of four new interchanges at Black Hill, Tarro, Tomago and Raymond Terrace, as well as a 2.6 kilometre bridge over the Hunter River floodplain.

The project has been on the infrastructure list in the Hunter Region since the first concept report was released in 2005. 

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes says he is pleased both levels of government are moving ahead with this next step.

"This project has taken on significant importance as it is one of the last stretches of the M1 link from Sydney to Brisbane to be upgraded.

"We are relieved this step has been taken and were concerned the project was stalling, notwithstanding there are allocations in respective government budgets for the project.

"The concepts and designs have changed significantly since 2005 and it is important that the community and businesses understand how the project links into existing development and road infrastructure as well as facilitating future development," Mr Hawes said.

Feedback on the EIS can be provided here until August 28.

The new bridge passing over the existing road.

View of the new road from Tarro Railway Station.

The interchange to be built at Tomago.

Bushfire near Edgeworth being treated as Suspicious

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A bushfire burning near Minmi Road at Edgeworth is now within containment lines.

The fire has is being treated as suspicious, started by a car fire on Saturday.

"The car fire is looking like it may have been lit on purpose so fire investigators both from the Rural Fire Service and NSW Fire and Rescue will work with police to obtain what evidence they can to determine if it was actually malicious and follow up as required," said Superintendent Josh Turner from NSW Fire and Rescue.

At its peak, the fire burnt through more than 150 hectares.

Around 20 Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service stayed on the ground overnight and this morning bringing the fire into containment lines.

"Doing a controlled back burn from containment lines which were put in around Link Road and Minmi Road,"

"Senior officers will inspect the site and get some new information this morning to make further strategies on what should be done today to fully extinguish this fire," said Superintendent Turner.

The fire poured heavy smoke over the area late yesterday afternoon and a westbound lane of the M1 had to be closed.

The fire is listed as being at Advice level by the RFS.

Looking north towards the blaze from Edgeworth.

NSW RFS crews are assisting Fire & Rescue NSW at a fire burning near Link Rd, Edgeworth (Newcastle). Smoke will be visible in the area, however no properties are currently at threat. One lane of Link Road is currently closed. Please monitor conditions in the area. pic.twitter.com/cRWfuburLP

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 28, 2018

Trucking Association Calls for Better Investigation Processes

BY SARAH JAMES

The Australian Trucking Association is calling for a change in the way truck crashes are investigated.

It comes following a horror crash at COORANBONG on Monday which caused a man's death and saw the M1 motorway closed to traffic.

A huge blaze was sparked as a fuel tanker clipped a parked truck, and the tanker full of ethanol exploded.

The truck driver who collided with the end of the pile-up sadly died at the scene.

Geoff Crouch from the Trucking Association says the federal government needs to give the Australian Transport Safety Bureau the power to investigate truck accidents.

In the past twelve months, NSW truck fatalities have increased by 86%. NSW is the only state to experience this trend, with the rest of Australia having their number of truck-related deaths fall.

At present, there is no clear reason for this increase in fatalities.

Geoff Crouch says the involvement of the Australian Safety Transport Bureau will allow better safety measures and regulations to be put in place.

"We are calling for the appropriate level of funding to be given to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau...to investigate serious road accidents and to come back with recommendations on how to prevent them from happening again," he said.

Australian Trucking Association

Tanker Explosion on M1 Causing Major Delays: One Person Unaccounted For

BY MATT JOHNSTON AND JESSICA ROUSE

UPDATE: 3PM

One person is unaccounted for after two trucks, including a fuel tanker collided on the M1.

Emergency services were called to the southbound lanes at about 12:50pm following reports a truck had caught fire.

A car was damaged in the inferno as well.

The Rural Fire Service is on the scene as the truck fire also sparked a bush fire north of the crash site. It's currently out of control and about 15 hectares in size.

Police are on scene and crash investigators will examine all of the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Motorists should delay their travel and completely avoid the area if possible.

Diversions are in place northbound via Mandalong Road and southbound via the Palmers Road exit.

Image 9News Twitter.

UPDATE: 2:40pm

 Two trucks and a car are involved in the crash.

Southbound traffic is queued for 12km and northbound traffic is queued for 7.5km.

It's estimated delays will add over an hour and a half to travel times.

Police are warning drivers to avoid the M1, with diversions in place through Morisset.

Traffic is also "very heavy" on Freemans Dr, Mandalong Rd and Wyee Rd.

Smoke is reducing visibility in the area.


EARLIER


Heavy traffic is backing up on the M1 with both north and southbound lanes closed.

Initial reports were a B-double had caught fire just after 1pm, blocking both lanes.

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter is en route along with emergency services following reports a tanker has exploded.

Ambulance paramedics have assessed the driver of the B-double at the scene and report he is uninjured.

The Rural Fire Service are on scene as the fire has spread to nearby bushland.

Drivers are being cautioned to allow extra travel time due to heavy delays.

More details to come.

#NSWRFS & #FRNSW are on scene at a truck crash on the #M1 motorway One of the vehicles has caught on fire which has spread to near by bush land. The #M1 is closed. If travelling in the area please give way to emergency services vehicles responding to the scene. pic.twitter.com/5lMQ2lUwzC

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 15, 2018

#UPDATE: More @NSWRFS resources are on the way to a major crash on the M1 near Cooranbong. It's believed the truck driver self-evacuated. #9News pic.twitter.com/dPPheVwRqD

— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) January 15, 2018

Night Work Starting this Weekend on John Renshaw Drive

BY JESSICA ROUSE and DANIELLE RIES

There will be some night work starting from this Sunday (January 14) for maintenance works on John Renshaw Drive over the New England Highway.

The work by Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is scheduled to be carried out over five night shifts between this Sunday and Thursday, January 18, depending on the weather.

"This work will involve changed traffic conditions including lane closures and a 40km/hr speed limit and Roads and Maritime Services ask motorists to follow the directions of all traffic controllers at the reduced speed limit,"

"And plan ahead and allow extra travel time as some delays might be experienced during this time," said John Matthews from the RMS.

Early work with minor traffic impacts will also continue to be carried out in preparation for the M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade at the Weakleys Drive and John Renshaw Drive intersection at Beresfield.

For the latest traffic information head to www.livetraffic.com

Man with Kids in His Car Caught with Drugs and Cash on M1

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man faced Newcastle Local Court yesterday after allegedly being caught with drugs and cash in his car on the M1.

Police say at about 12:15pm on Tuesday, a 51-year-old, was driving a sedan north on the M1 at Mandalong when he was stopped for speeding.

Police conducted a roadside drug test on the man which tested positive for cannabis.

Officers then searched the vehicle locating several bags of cannabis totally 2.4kg, 300 capsules of ecstasy (MDMA) and $11,500 in cash which police allege are the proceeds of crime. A knife was also seized.

Image NSW Police Force.

Two children and another adult were also in the car at the time.

The man was taken to Toronto Police Station where he was charged with possess prohibited drug, deal with property proceeds of crime, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, possess prohibited drug (x5), supply cannabis (x2), possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, supply prohibited drug, and custody of knife in public place.

He was refused bail.

Image NSW Police Force

More Charges for Man Who Lead Police on a Wild Pursuit Through Lake Macquarie

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The man responsible for leading police on a wild pursuit across Lake Macquarie last month is expected to be charged with further offences in court today.

Just after 10am on December 31, police attempted to stop a car being driven by a 22-year-old man at Wallsend.

The driver refused to stop and sped off leading police on a number of purists on the Hunter Expressway, Newcastle Link Road and on the M1 before the driver crashed and attempted to carjack a vehicle on the M1.

It didn't stop there, the driver then allegedly carjacked a different car after failing the first time, and was involved in another pursuit with police and attempted to carjack more vehicles.

He was eventually arrested after allegedly ramming an unmarked police vehicle and appeared in court last month on a number of charges relating to those incidents.

The man will face Newcastle Local Court today where he is expected to be charged with two counts of assault with intent to take motor vehicle, three counts of police pursuit - not stop (Skye's Law) and possess property stolen outside NSW.

EARLIER:

BREAKING! Wanted Man Arrested after Terrifying Pursuit in the Hunter

Motorcyclist killed at West Wallsend

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A young motorcyclist has died after a horror crash at West Wallsend yesterday.

He was travelling north on the M1 just after 4:30pm when he crashed on the exit linking the motorway with the Newcastle Link Road.

The man was treated at the scene by paramedics but died a short time later.

Police are yet to release his name, and his family are travelling to Newcastle today.

Investigations are continuing but police say initial investigations has led them to believe the vehicle left the road and crashed.

Northbound traffic was diverted via George Booth Drive and Cameron Park Drive while police and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended.

Major upgrades to the M1

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The trip to Sydney for Hunter motorists could be a whole lot easier after upgrades on the M1 are completed.

An extra lane will be added in both directions between Doyalson and Tuggerah to improve traffic flow and safety.

The first stage of the work started last month involving geotechnical investigations on the motorway in both directions at St Johns Road and Sparks Road.

Lane closures will be in place when work begins on Sunday April 30.

Motorists are being advised to follow the directions of traffic control, signs, and adhere to the reduced speed limits.

 The works are a part of a $400 million motorway projects which includes a few other upgrades as well including at the Weakelys Drive and John Renshaw Drive intersection at Beresfield and to interchanges at Kariong as well.

Image Newcastle Herald