truck driver has been named as 43yr old kevin Ollerhead from St Helens and has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
I think they should have arrested the mini bus driver as well.
I think the trailer came off the back of the 3rd vehicle (a car) and caused the van to swerve in front of the truck coming down lane two, then the sides of the trailer conveniently swung out and covered the carnage to stop the rubber neckers. Mmtm that Max Clifford was actually driving and that he thought the job was to pick up a van full of school girls, not middle age school girls however.
Anybody else noticed the bad design of the crash barrier that the minibus ran into? Just dug this up from google maps (How it was from a photo taken some time ago)…
FarnboroughBoy11:
I think they should have arrested the mini bus driver as well.
So do i but minibus drivers aren’t truck drivers, they are allowed to walk away scott free, probably get a pat on the back for his/her actions yesterday…
FarnboroughBoy11:
I think they should have arrested the mini bus driver as well.
In the M5 bus crash, where the bus had broken down and the lorry driver rear-ended it and died it was the bus driver that ended up with jail time.
Disappointingly, I often feel these days it’s more a hybrid of accident investigation and finding a living scapegoat to be sacrificed for the grieving relatives. CSI Trucknet might get a bit easily wrong-footed by a trailer mounted mobile screen but I’m not sure they’re a hell of a lot less balanced than the ‘professionals’.
Quinny:
Conor:
They’ve come from South Emsall and were going to Liverpool. Whats the betting that the minibus driver was in L1 which is actually the sliproad for Ponty, realise they were in the wrong lane, slowed down to a crawl then pulled into L2 thinking that maybe the truck was further away than it actually was?As a regular user of the area, I would agree.
It’s amazing how many people don’t read that section of road properly, and cut across back onto the westbound carriageway.
Another place where that is an accident waiting to happen, is the section further along at J28 eastbound, where they have now decided that lane 1 is for going down the M621 into Leeds. The amount of vehicles of all types that cut over at the last minute when they realise they are in the wrong lane, and want to continue east, is frightening.
My thoughts are with the bereaved at this time.
Ken.
This.
Regular do I drive back from Bradford and/or Manchester way East-bound on the M62 and I remember the day they decided to change J27 so that lane 1 became an exit lane, caught me out along with everyone else and I was like ‘WTF??!?!’ - not to mention loads of heavy traffic along side of me so I decided ‘sod it’ and just stayed in that lane and went around the 621 for sake of not causing more chaos than needed.
Whoever decided that people correctly proceeding in lane one of a motorway should be made to exit or move over wants shooting (clarkson said it first!). If you want to leave the motorway onto a filter lane, the lane should emerge from your left of lane 1. That makes sense, right? Anyone else with me on this?
PS: I think you meant J27 as well, didnt you, and not 28? 
puballday:
Quinny:
Conor:
They’ve come from South Emsall and were going to Liverpool. Whats the betting that the minibus driver was in L1 which is actually the sliproad for Ponty, realise they were in the wrong lane, slowed down to a crawl then pulled into L2 thinking that maybe the truck was further away than it actually was?As a regular user of the area, I would agree.
It’s amazing how many people don’t read that section of road properly, and cut across back onto the westbound carriageway.
Another place where that is an accident waiting to happen, is the section further along at J28 eastbound, where they have now decided that lane 1 is for going down the M621 into Leeds. The amount of vehicles of all types that cut over at the last minute when they realise they are in the wrong lane, and want to continue east, is frightening.
My thoughts are with the bereaved at this time.
Ken.
This.
Regular do I drive back from Bradford and/or Manchester way East-bound on the M62 and I remember the day they decided to change J27 so that lane 1 became an exit lane, caught me out along with everyone else and I was like ‘WTF??!?!’ - not to mention loads of heavy traffic along side of me so I decided ‘sod it’ and just stayed in that lane and went around the 621 for sake of not causing more chaos than needed.
Whoever decided that people correctly proceeding in lane one of a motorway should be made to exit or move over wants shooting (clarkson said it first!). If you want to leave the motorway onto a filter lane, the lane should emerge from your left of lane 1. That makes sense, right? Anyone else with me on this?
PS: I think you meant J27 as well, didnt you, and not 28?
No.
The problem is you. The signs are plenty clear enough telling you which lane goes where. If you’re too stupid or blind to bother reading them then perhaps you should be considering a non-driving career and send your licence back to Swansea for cancelling. Splitting lane 1 for the junction exit at 27 and 29 eastbound were the two best things to ever happen to that stretch of motorway. The same needs to happen at 26 as well if it hasn’t done so already (I’ve not been along there for 6 months) and also at 27 and 26 westbound to match 29.
Rob K:
puballday:
Quinny:
Conor:
They’ve come from South Emsall and were going to Liverpool. Whats the betting that the minibus driver was in L1 which is actually the sliproad for Ponty, realise they were in the wrong lane, slowed down to a crawl then pulled into L2 thinking that maybe the truck was further away than it actually was?As a regular user of the area, I would agree.
It’s amazing how many people don’t read that section of road properly, and cut across back onto the westbound carriageway.
Another place where that is an accident waiting to happen, is the section further along at J28 eastbound, where they have now decided that lane 1 is for going down the M621 into Leeds. The amount of vehicles of all types that cut over at the last minute when they realise they are in the wrong lane, and want to continue east, is frightening.
My thoughts are with the bereaved at this time.
Ken.
This.
Regular do I drive back from Bradford and/or Manchester way East-bound on the M62 and I remember the day they decided to change J27 so that lane 1 became an exit lane, caught me out along with everyone else and I was like ‘WTF??!?!’ - not to mention loads of heavy traffic along side of me so I decided ‘sod it’ and just stayed in that lane and went around the 621 for sake of not causing more chaos than needed.
Whoever decided that people correctly proceeding in lane one of a motorway should be made to exit or move over wants shooting (clarkson said it first!). If you want to leave the motorway onto a filter lane, the lane should emerge from your left of lane 1. That makes sense, right? Anyone else with me on this?
PS: I think you meant J27 as well, didnt you, and not 28?
No.
The problem is you. The signs are plenty clear enough telling you which lane goes where. If you’re too stupid or blind to bother reading them then perhaps you should be considering a non-driving career and send your licence back to Swansea for cancelling. Splitting lane 1 for the junction exit at 27 and 29 eastbound were the two best things to ever happen to that stretch of motorway. The same needs to happen at 26 as well if it hasn’t done so already (I’ve not been along there for 6 months) and also at 27 and 26 westbound to match 29.
Read my post again…
Regular do I drive back from Bradford and/or Manchester way East-bound on the M62 and I remember the day they decided to change J27 so that lane 1 became an exit lane
So how can the problem be me when there wasn’t even adequate signage up at the time, given that it was still a complete mess of roadworks with cones and yellow signs everywhere making it more than a little confusing? I wouldn’t call that a problem with me and reading signs (which were NOT in place at the time).
I would say the problem is more you, not being able to read peoples posts correctly and then going on to post speculative bull… Perhaps you would like to give us some speculative bull on the M62 accident while your at it?
Yes, the signs and layout are perfectly clear now that the work is complete - But that’s not what I was talking about was it?
puballday:
Regular do I drive back from Bradford and/or Manchester way East-bound on the M62 and I remember the day they decided to change J27 so that lane 1 became an exit lane
So how can the problem be me when there wasn’t even adequate signage up at the time, given that it was still a complete mess of roadworks with cones and yellow signs everywhere making it more than a little confusing? I wouldn’t call that a problem with me and reading signs (which were NOT in place at the time).
I would say the problem is more you, not being able to read peoples posts correctly and then going on to post speculative bull… Perhaps you would like to give us some speculative bull on the M62 accident while your at it?Yes, the signs and layout are perfectly clear now that the work is complete - But that’s not what I was talking about was it?
I remember the day too because I was shunting trailers between Halifax and Birstall. The signs were plenty clear enough if you’d bothered to look at them instead of blindly following all the other sheep not paying attention. 
Rob K:
puballday:
Quinny:
Conor:
They’ve come from South Emsall and were going to Liverpool. Whats the betting that the minibus driver was in L1 which is actually the sliproad for Ponty, realise they were in the wrong lane, slowed down to a crawl then pulled into L2 thinking that maybe the truck was further away than it actually was?As a regular user of the area, I would agree.
It’s amazing how many people don’t read that section of road properly, and cut across back onto the westbound carriageway.
Another place where that is an accident waiting to happen, is the section further along at J28 eastbound, where they have now decided that lane 1 is for going down the M621 into Leeds. The amount of vehicles of all types that cut over at the last minute when they realise they are in the wrong lane, and want to continue east, is frightening.
My thoughts are with the bereaved at this time.
Ken.
This.
Regular do I drive back from Bradford and/or Manchester way East-bound on the M62 and I remember the day they decided to change J27 so that lane 1 became an exit lane, caught me out along with everyone else and I was like ‘WTF??!?!’ - not to mention loads of heavy traffic along side of me so I decided ‘sod it’ and just stayed in that lane and went around the 621 for sake of not causing more chaos than needed.
Whoever decided that people correctly proceeding in lane one of a motorway should be made to exit or move over wants shooting (clarkson said it first!). If you want to leave the motorway onto a filter lane, the lane should emerge from your left of lane 1. That makes sense, right? Anyone else with me on this?
PS: I think you meant J27 as well, didnt you, and not 28?
No.
The problem is you. The signs are plenty clear enough telling you which lane goes where. If you’re too stupid or blind to bother reading them then perhaps you should be considering a non-driving career and send your licence back to Swansea for cancelling. Splitting lane 1 for the junction exit at 27 and 29 eastbound were the two best things to ever happen to that stretch of motorway. The same needs to happen at 26 as well if it hasn’t done so already (I’ve not been along there for 6 months) and also at 27 and 26 westbound to match 29.
But not exactly idiot proof.They don’t differentiate the exiting A road from the continuing motorway using colour coding and the arrows aren’t exactly in plain view and like the colour coding mix up the continuing motorway with the exiting A road.While from a distance and the signing is too close to the actual exit.
Carryfast:
But not exactly idiot proof.They don’t differentiate the exiting A road from the continuing motorway using colour coding and the arrows aren’t exactly in plain view and like the colour coding mix up the continuing motorway with the exiting A road.While from a distance and the signing is too close to the actual exit.
You’re talking about a completely different stretch of motorway.
Prehaps they arrested the driver as he hit the other vehichle up the arse.
Usualy if you rear end another vehichle its your fault.
No doubt the super truckers will have an answer but imo too many trucks tailgate on motorways
Released 2330 26/04/2013
"Leeds University student Bethany Jones, 19, has been named locally as the woman killed in a hen party motorway crash.
It is believed she had joined celebrations with bride-to-be Stefanie Firth who was seriously injured in the crash on the M62 near Pontefract.
It was reported that Ms Firth was critically ill with spinal injuries. She had been on her way to Liverpool from South Elmsall with 20 of her friends who all received injuries when their minibus was hit by a Farmfoods lorry.
The lorry driver is being questioned over the horrific crash that brought the M62 to a standstill.
The crash happened at junction 32 near Pontefract at about 1130.
Both carriageways were initially closed as a major emergency services operation, including police, firefighters, paramedics and air ambulance staff, swung into action.
There were long tailbacks for several hours on the westbound side. Eventually, police allowed some motorists to drive the wrong way down the carriageway to come off at the previous junction.
Emergency services activated major accident plans reserved for the most serious incidents.
Dave Walton, assistant chief officer for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the aftermath of the crash was among the worst he had seen in 28 years."
Bride-to-be Stefanie Firth (far right) is in a serious condition.
"A Bride-to-be was seriously hurt yesterday on the way to her hen do in a horror crash that killed a teenager and left 21 women injured.
Seven of the victims suffered severe injuries when the party’s minibus Âcollided with a lorry on to the M62. The smash flipped the minibus on to its side, instantly killing 18-year-old Bethany Jones and critically injuring her sister Amy, 24, and mother Diane, 49.
Stefanie Firth, 24, was fighting for her life last night in Leeds General Infirmary with a ruptured spleen.
Her husband-to-be Gary Leafe, 28, raced to her side only to learn that his mother Lesley, 54, had also suffered life-threatening injuries in the 11.30am crash at Castleford, West Yorkshire.
Firefighters who had to cut the women from the wreckage described the scene as “among the worst we have ever come across”.
The women had set off just minutes earlier for their weekend celebration in Liverpool from the former mining village of South Elmsall. As they left, another of the injured women, Ashleigh Warner, wrote on Facebook: “I’m so excited. Had my T-shirt on since 8am. Hope Stefanie has the best time.”
Last night a neighbour of Miss Firth said: “Stef was so excited about this hen do. She’s getting married in a couple of weeks and she was really looking forward to spending the weekend in Liverpool celebrating with her friends.
“Stef has been with Gary for years and they are a lovely couple.”
Another neighbour, Doreen Gray, said she saw the hen party, dressed in black T-shirts with pink slogans, getting on the minibus. “They were all laughing and giggling and I thought to myself they are in for a fun weekend. They were all in great spirits.”
Local MP Jon Trickett said: “My heart goes out to everyone concerned. It should have been a wonderful weekend but it has turned into a tragedy.”
Lorry driver Kevin Ollerhead, 43, a father-of-two from St Helens, Merseyside, was arrested and questioned by police. Last night his sister Lynee said the former soldier was “absolutely devastated”.
ABOVE - Ground shot travelling Westbound approaching M62 J32.
ABOVE - Aerial shot looking East at M62 J32.
gezt:
you can intemperate any video/overhead shot /passing cam etc.
What you cannot do is the job of the professionalism of the cops.
stop speculating and giving the “professional comments” you are a driver nothing more nothing less,
its a tragedy thats happenened
please let it be sorted by the pro’s not but us steering wheel attendants.
let the dead die,let the injured recovery,let the grieving people grieve.
let the professional lorry driver shut up till the inquest has established the facts and passed it verdict.OR LET THE KNOWALL KEEP PREACHING HIS WISDOM WITHOUT BEING THERE.
I wasn’t speculating anything! I was just stating what is bloody obvious, the impact evidence is there clear to see on the carriage way, and the evidence is there clear to see of the impact zones on both vehicles, what I didn’t say was who was to blame.
as of 8a.m. truck driver still in custody
The young lady concerned works at Coca Cola, according to Facebook. I’ve no doubt her colleagues will be wishing her well.
The local rag, (Wakefield Express) doesn’t have anything new to add yet.
Ken.