A FAMILIAR SCENE: Emergency services were quickly on the scene at Tuesday’s semi trailer rollover at Little Hartley. lm071812LAmtvicpass
DESPITE ongoing roadworks intended to improve safety the rate of serious accidents continues on Victoria Pass.
On Tuesday the Great Western Highway was again closed for hours after yet another semi trailer crash on the bottom bend where most such heavy vehicles accidents occur.
It was a familiar scenario.
The Volvo semi trailer was descending The Pass about 10.30 am when it went out of control on the sweeping right hand bend just below the safety ramp.
The vehicle overturned onto its side with the trailer section left straddling the safety railing and hanging over a roadside embankment.
Emergency services from Lithgow and the Blue Mountains rushed to the scene and freed the driver from the wreck.
The driver, a 29 year old man from Cambridge Park, was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken by road to Nepean Hospital.
He had escaped with relatively minor injuries.
With the west bound lanes completely blocked police set up a contra flow on the east bound lanes for a time to keep traffic moving slowly.
Later, however, it became necessary to close the highway completely and all traffic was being diverted through Lithgow or along the Darling Causeway to the Bells Line.
The result was a very heavy traffic build up through Lithgow all day.
The salvage operation at the scene continued almost until nightfall with a mobile crane brought to the site to lift the trailer section.
The semi trailer was fully laden with grocery products for Central Western supermarkets.
Police said investigations into the cause of the accident are continuing.