A salvage operation to remove the truck at Cameron Park, which had been transporting a huge piece of refinery equipment, began at 8pm on Monday night. Read the full updated report here.

MONDAY

UPDATE 9PM

A salvage operation to remove a truck blocking the north-bound off-ramp of the M1 Pacific Motorway at Cameron Park will begin on Monday night.

One north-bound lane of the motorway has been closed to traffic and the remainder of the motorway, north-bound, near the off-ramp is expected to close at about 11pm to allow a crane to remove a large piece of refinery equipment.

The truck has blocked the ramp, which connects to Newcastle Link Road, since 4.30am Monday.

RMS confirmed it had issued a permit to the truck.

A spokesman said the road authority was investigating the incident but would not comment on the identity of the company responsible for the vehicle’s movements. 

“The permit provided [to the company] includes a number of conditions for the operator to comply with including the height, width and weight of the load, and how it is positioned,” he said. 

“The operator is ultimately responsible for carrying out the safe transportation operation.”

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery urged RMS to “thoroughly investigate what went wrong here”.

“Someone has messed up because it is obvious that the truck was never going to fit across that bridge,” she said.

“Someone needs to be held accountable and the details made public.”

UPDATE 4PM

THE northbound off-ramp on the M1 Pacific Motorway at Cameron Park is expected to remain closed into the evening after a truck transporting a huge piece of refinery equipment became wedged on the guard rail.

Emergency crews and experts including police, Rural Fire Service, RMS, heavy vehicle inspectors and a bridge engineer have spent the day trying to extricate the truck from the off-ramp, but the vehicle is wedged in tight.

Operations have been brought to a halt as the team awaits the arrival of a crane from Sydney.

The salvage operation is expected to recommence at about 8pm tonight with the closure of one northbound lane of the motorway to set up the crane. It is estimated that a full northbound closure of the motorway will commence about 11pm. 

A NSW Police spokesman said inquiries were continuing into how the truck became stuck.

“The truck was travelling from Clyde in Sydney’s west to Mayfield,” he said. 

“The male truck driver was not injured. Work continues to try and salvage the heavy vehicle.” 

Rural Fire Service crews have been called in to assist with fire protection during the evening’s salvage operation. It is understood the salvage crew may have to cut the truck into pieces before it can be removed by crane.

EARLIER REPORT 7AM

EMERGENCY services are still trying to shift a truck which became wedged on the M1 Pacific Motorway northbound off-ramp to Newcastle Link Road on Monday morning.

About 4.30am a truck carrying a wide load was using the off-ramp when its cargo reportedly shifted, causing the vehicle to get stuck on the ramp at Cameron Park.

The incident is causing traffic chaos, as the scene remains closed to motorists.

Northbound drivers wanting to travel east on Newcastle Link Road can exit the motorway at George Booth Drive and take Cameron Park Drive to Newcastle Link Road.

Motorists can still access the Hunter Expressway westbound from the off-ramp.

Emergency services and traffic crews are expected to remain on site for most of the day. A crane has been brought in to help move the truck, as well as a bridge engineer. 

One of two northbound lanes on the motorway has been closed for safety reasons as crews work to salvage the truck. Intermittent full northbound closures will be required during the salvage operation.

For the latest traffic information, visit www.livetraffic.com. 

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