One prang and it’s all stop on the range
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ALL Tony Addley wanted to do yesterday was get to Tolga and pick up a load of bananas.
Instead, the veteran truck driver spent about five hours twiddling his thumbs in traffic.
He joined the queue snaking up the range at 11.30am, more than four hours after a truck and mini-van had collided near the top.
Emergency services brought in specialist machinery to haul the truck and trailer up an embankment then tow it away.
The 55-year-old truck driver and 21-year-old van driver remain in Cairns Hospital in stable conditions.
Mr Addley said he drove the range two or three times per day and points the finger of blame for the numerous crashes there squarely at car and motorbike drivers.
“They use this road like a racetrack,” he said. “It’s a very major safety issue.”
Cairns police Sen-Constable Russell Parker said, safety-wise, it was essential the road remained closed while the vehicles were moved.
He also warned motorists about the wet conditions.
“If everyone drove accordingly to the prevailing conditions it would be unusual to have these types of crashes on the range,” he said.
The Gillies Range was also shut for about three hours yesterday afternoon as a result of two incidents.
Two people were taken to hospital from a head-on collision before a truck jackknifed and had to be removed. Whoa ... I know my daughter loathes driving on that road. Johanna Krynen It’s not the road that’s the problem (it is) the nut holding the steering wheel Barry Peacock Slow down people. Lynda Morrow Everyday commuters took the toll FNQ Memes Why (don’t) all the hill people protest long and hard to get it changed for the better? They need a decent road up there Priscilla Boynton Long afternoon for some Kymbo Tee (Gillies Range) road is a