Heart of City head claims backing on Segways

Alex Swney. File photo / APN

A defiant Heart of the City boss Alex Swney says his Auckland City Ambassadors will continue to use Segways in the city, despite Auckland Transport saying they are illegal.

A central city real estate agency, James Law Realty, last week issued its agents with Segways, a two-wheel personal transport machine, to help them get around the Auckland CBD.

But Auckland Transport said Segways were classified as motor vehicles, and it was illegal to use them on public roads without registration, licensing and a warrant of fitness.

The agency said Segways were also banned from footpaths, and drivers had to have current driver licences and wear an approved motorcycle helmet.

However, the City Ambassadors - who help visitors find their way around the central city and look out for issues on the streets, such as vandalism and disorderly behaviour - have been asked to ignore the law and to continue operating on Seg-ways.

Two other central city businesses, Sal's Pizza and The Original California Burrito Company, told the Herald yesterday they also had no plans to stop using Segways for delivery.

"The comments from Auckland Transport about the legalities is certainly outside of their gambit," Mr Swney said.

"The police are of the view that the community benefit of what we were doing and the way we were using them far outweighed any potential downside within the grey area that Segways fall under," Mr Swney said. "It's not their [Auckland Transport's] role to say what's banned on footpaths... they are really limited to parked vehicles."

WHO USES THEM?
* Heart of the City Auckland Ambassadors.
* Sal's Pizza.
* The Original California Burrito Company.