Too many wheels for this turn-off

The 40-tonne truck had to be towed after ending up in the cycleway beside the Northwestern Motorway. Photo / Jonathan Bixley

Police efforts to deter motor-scooter riders from using Auckland's popular Northwestern Cycleway did not stop a truck driver from straying on to it yesterday morning.

The driver and his 40-tonne refrigerated truck-and-trailer unit entered the cycleway from the end of Patiki Rd, before becoming bogged in swampy ground as the track became narrower. Instead of using the on-ramp to the Northwestern Motorway, the driver took a wrong turning leading to the Rosebank Park Domain go-cart track, before passing through an open gate to the cycleway.

Film technician Jonathan Bixley, who went to investigate, said the truck passed a sign banning motorcycles from the cycleway.

"But it didn't say anything about trucks."

The truck driver was unable to back his unit out of trouble, so a section of high fence separating the cycleway from the motorway had to be cut down to allow a heavy haulage recovery vehicle to tow it out of the way.

A Halls Refrigerated Transport official said details of the incident were unclear, but he acknowledged that the company's driver was embarrassed and "a bit distraught".

Auckland Regional Council transport committee chairwoman and regular cycleway user Christine Rose said she had seen a car stuck on another section in recent weeks.

An Auckland City Council spokesman said the cycleway, which runs for more than 12km between Newton and Henderson, remained open despite yesterday's incident. Mathew Dearnaley