Safety fears see Segway plan refused
Thursday 15th October 2009, 10:58AM BST.
Lembit Opik MP is a big supporter of the Segway
State-of-the-art Segway scooters will not be zipping around in Shrewsbury’s Quarry park because they are considered too dangerous.
A company had launched a bid to provide Segways for visitors and residents to trundle along on the two-wheeled upright scooters in the town’s Quarry park.
But members of Shrewsbury Town Council yesterday turned down the application after claiming they could pose a safety risk.
Segway Tours, the firm behind the scheme, said the electronic self-balancing, personal transporters would have allowed people to roam the park at between five and 12 mph.
Bosses had proposed safety measures such as helmets and high visibility tabards for people to wear before climbing aboard for a tour of the park.
But councillors on the recreation and leisure committee said they were not convinced it was appropriate for the area.
Anne Chebsey, town councillor for Port Hill ward, said: “It seems a very good idea but I don’t know where we would stand insurance-wise if there was an accident.”
However, Mike Cox, officer at Shrewsbury Town Council, said the operators of the segway would be responsible for their insurance and the council would be covered under its existing policy. Members voted seven to one against the proposal.
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Typical of Shrewsbury Council. I’ve not lived in the town for 25 years now, but have to say I’m in no hurry to return to such a backward-thinking place.
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Oh rite, a H&S issue? Can I assume that skateboards, rollerskates, mobility scooters, bicycles/unicycles/tricycles, jogging and running, swings, merry-go-rounds, slides, climbing frames, hopscotch and skipping are also banned?
In fact while they are at it, when not put children into care if their irresponsible parents allow them to run in the park?
Honestly *tut*
PS Ban marbles – someone might tread on one!
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Sometimes I think that our council is far too forward thinking!
Pedal Bikes go much faster and far more dangerous!
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Word of Warning!!! Even though any idiot can operate a Segway, if caught using one drunk on a ‘public highway’, you may be banned from driving – that is the penalty for being drunk in charge of a ‘motorised vehicle’, regardless of the licensing requirements (or absence of them) to operate one!
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Killjoys. I expect to see no roses next year as they “could pose a safety risk” if someone touched the thorns?
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Small Minded council it was only a 6 years ago they wanted to spend a fortune lighting the dingle with fibre optic lighting. I know because they approached me to tender a price?
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Are they banned on the Uk on roads. You can only have them
on probate property.
Interesting I bet they are less dangerous than a horse on a path.
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Like a lot of things in life they are only dangerous in the wrong hands. Bicycles, horses and skateboards as already mentioned but the list could go on. The cost of Segways will put the irrespossible off anyway.
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i can not wait for the next election. With this nonsense and the utter garbage about the concerts in the quarry the councillors are elected and are simply NOT representing the views of the voters.
The flowers are a risk to hay fever suffers.
The lighting in the park is terrible if you have bad eye sight.
You can quite easily slip on the leaves in autumn – can the council not clean them up quicker?
If the councils are so concerned about things being dangerous may I propose falling over the cobbled stones and uneven pavements in this fine town and suing them to the point of bankruptcy.
This town needs a revolution and one fast.
ARE THE COUNCIL ACTUALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS OR IS THERE A HIDDEN AGENDA?
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With precedents already set in the UK (Goonhilly, Cornwall; Haldon Forest, Exeter; Cardiff Bay Docks; Leeds Castle, Kent; Lake District, Cumbria)for mixing Segway riders with pedestrians & other leisure activities I wonder how this committee felt their superior risk assessment ability warranted such an extreme reaction. As others have said – existing permitted activities pose a far greater risk. Maybe they also think a car should still be preceded by a man walking with a red flag?
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I love it when they site safety issues but do not define it or are not held to account for just what they are talking about…
There have been many studies that show that other devices are far more dangerous, yet they are allowed…
To the best of my knowledge, there have been no studies that concluded that segways are more dangerous than other things.
So how do they get away with saying things that are not true, and are not held to account for their statements?
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what a shame we have such conservative old fashioned folk on all these little parish councils who say no to everything without fully understanding it
we are in a recession and they are turning businesses away from Shrewsbury ??
mad
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Just noticed my spelling mistakes. It should say aren’t they banned? And private property. Damn auto correct.
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Fair do’s to Mike Cox. I don’t know the guy but reading this and the Status Quo piece it seems to me that he’s the only member of the Town Council who actually wants to drag the rest of them kicking and screaming out of the dark ages. Predictably the fun police voted 7-1 against and I presume the ’1′ was Mr Cox. Still, if we can get a few more like him on the Council things may start to change. Chris A, maybe you should get on there seeing as they took your live music licence away?
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Frank, Mike Cox is a council officer therefore has qualifications, has applied and got a job, has a line manager whom he is responsible to, has continual employment assessment and earns probably an average wage for Shrewsbury as a local govt employee.
Councillors on the other hand have an allowance of £12,000 per annum before other allowances like transport & substenance costs etc. for a part time commitment with no qualifications required, no continual assessment, no management tiers, no forced training objectives but a great deal of support from council officers, advice on legal matters, status and power.
An ability to network, lobby and be voted in as a councillor is the ticket for this elevated place in society but whether this position is subsequently earned, used for self or political interests or to really do good for the community is a matter of luck for the members of public who vote in these apparently noble local citizens.
So the council officer Mr Cox spells out the legal side of the matter and the councillors choose to ignore that or not depending on their own often peculiar views.
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