More than 300 motorists were left stranded on the M1 motorway on Friday morning, May 2, after a truck spilled hundreds of kilograms of sharp metal fragments across a 30-kilometre stretch of road between Palmdale and the Mooney Mooney Bridge.
The incident began just after peak hour, when a southbound truck lost its load of “steel flock”, a finely ground metal commonly used in industrial applications.
The debris quickly punctured or shredded the tyres of hundreds of vehicles, causing chaos on one of the Central Coast’s busiest transport corridors.
Drivers described a wave of sudden flat tyres as they hit the metal-littered surface, forcing them to pull over into breakdown lanes and onto nearby verges.
Hundreds of cars were pulled off to the side of the road with punctured and shredded tyres.
One driver said he counted 189 cars pulled over between Kariong and Waitara.
It became a major safety issue with people trying to change tyres in the dark in the M1 110km zone and some cars were even stranded in the North Connex tunnel.
Some minor collisions were reported.
Police reported the spill started as far north as Wyong Rd and vehicles were diverted onto the old Pacific Hwy and not able to rejoin the M1 until Mooney Mooney.
There were long delays approaching Ourimbah, as well as at Kariong and around Mooney Mooney Creek.
Some people reported that they’d actually made it to their Sydney destination but their tyres were going flat because of slow leaks, prompting a police warning to inspect tyres to save any problems later in the day.
The southbound lanes between Ourimbah and the Calga Interchange were shut down for several hours to allow for emergency response and cleanup operations.
NRMA manager for roadside assistance, Simon Denic, said the situation was dire for many motorists, with hundreds affected.
NSW Police, the Rural Fire Service, and Transport for NSW crews responded to the scene, deploying sweepers and magnetic equipment to remove the embedded shards.
Tow trucks were called in to assist, and authorities confirmed there would be no towing charges for affected motorists.
The trucking company involved, NJ Ashton based in western Sydney, was quick to respond.
General Manager Daniel Falconer said the company was “taking full responsibility for what happened”.
“We are very sorry for any damage and disruption that’s been caused,” he said in a statement released just hours after the incident.
”Our immediate priority is helping with the clean-up.
“As soon as we were notified about the accident, we sent every qualified mechanic we have to assist authorities and help get drivers back on the road.
”We still don’t fully understand how this occurred.
“At this stage it appears to have been an accident.
”Once the clean-up is resolved, we’ll investigate what went wrong.
“The truck driver has been doing the run for about a year and is experienced, and our fleet is regularly serviced and maintained.
“We have always held ourselves to the highest standards and are in full compliance with all certifications and regulations.
”We take our public responsibility and commitment to the communities in which we operate very seriously.
”The insurance company, Elders, has advised us that all reasonable costs are covered under our policy.”
Drivers affected by the incident should contact NJ Ashton via info@njashton.com.au
Those with a claim should contact Elders Insurance – phone 4035 8800; or email steve.pryor@elders.com.au and quote the claim number EB0085376
Central Coast motorists have been urged to inspect their vehicles if they travelled the route during the morning, as some debris may still be embedded in tyres.
State Emergency Services reported no injuries but said the volume of calls was significant.
“It was a major operation, the number of vehicles affected was unlike anything we’ve seen on the M1 for years,” one responder told ABC radio.
The event has prompted fresh discussion around heavy vehicle safety and load management, with some calling for stricter oversight and better containment systems for industrial materials being transported on NSW roads.
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