Diesel Spill Causing Traffic Delays on Pacific Highway

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A truck leaking fuel is causing delays on the Pacific Highway, adjacent to Grahamstown Dam at Kings Hill on the Pacific Highway. 

Just after 12pm on Monday, crews from Raymond Terrace Fire Station arrived on scene, the driver had attempted to stem the flow of fuel but was unsuccessful.

Firefighters are currently working to clean up the fuel which is on approximately 300m of roadway, and render the area safe.

No diesel has leaked into any drains or waterways.

The Rural Fire Brigade and NSW Police are also in attendance to assist and divert traffic, and are advising  motorists to exercise caution if you are driving through the area.

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

A lucky escape for a man on Cessnock Road overnight

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man has made a lucky escape overnight at Gillieston Heights after a truck collided with the rear of his car.

Just after midnight, the car was attempting to make a left hand turn on Cessnock Road, when the truck came up behind hitting the rear of the car.

The driver of the car was taken to John Hunter Hospital for suspected neck injuries.

Neither man were seriously injured.

Man in critical condition after M1 Pacific Motorway accident

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Traffic is slowly getting back to normal on the M1 Pacific Motorway at Mount White this morning after a truck hit a rock wall exploding into flames.

Just before 5:30am, emergency services were called to Jolls Bridge on the M1 following reports a truck had hit a rock wall.

Officers from Northern Region Highway Patrol and Brisbane Water Local Area Command attended the scene and are investigating.

The driver, believed to be in his late 30's, was pulled from the truck by passing motorists just as it caught alight.

The man was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance Paramedics before being airlifted to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition.

Hunter motorists had a long drive ahead of them with traffic backed up for more than 10 kilometres.

All southbound lanes are now open.