Freshly laid bitumen has left drivers in Queensland’s far north in a sticky bind after it lifted and coated their tyres in tar.

Melted tar after roadworks between Tarzali and Jaggan in Queensland. Photograph: Tablelander

More than a dozen motorists needed to get their tyres replaced after bitumen lifted on the Malanda Millaa Millaa Road on the Atherton Tablelands, forcing authorities to close down the route on Wednesday.

Vince Whalley, who runs a tyre shop at Malanda, said the damage to vehicles was significant.

“The tar coming off the tyres is knocking bumper bars loose, taking panels out underneath,” he told the ABC.

The main roads department has since reopened the road, with a reduced speed limit, but motorists are fuming about the damage to their vehicles.

Motorist Bridget Daley said her tyres were covered in three inches of bitumen and the sticky goo caused her bumper bar to snap off.

“It was like we were insects caught in a spider’s web and we were sinking,” she told the ABC.

A vehicle that collected tar on its wheels after the roadworks. Photograph: Tablelander

“There were people that were pulled up on the side of the road and they were in total and complete disbelief as to what had happened to their vehicles.”