A tow truck operator says safety isn’t the reason they won’t help police move illegally parked vehicles, it’s because they sympathise with the protesters.

RNZ reports that Greg Cox, who owns Wellington’s Cox Heavy Salvage, said safety concerns are not what’s stopping tow companies from getting involved.

“There’s all different reasons being put forward, but the reason that the majority of my colleagues don’t want to put their tow trucks out there is because they are sympathetic to what’s going on in Parliament,” Cox said.

Cox said some operators had made up excuses for not lending a hand in the towing operation.

“One of the Wellington operators said how he can’t do it now – ‘We have to isolate’.”

Cox said police had contacted him twice asking for help with the towing operation.

“From the people who’ve rung me, text me, the feeling’s pretty much mutual right through the country. There’s not a business that hasn’t been impacted by mandate, and everybody understands that.”

If he turned up at Parliament with a fleet of tow trucks it would be a very bad look for his business.

“That’d be the worst advertising I’d get,” he said.

“Contractors and transport operators have been feeling us out to say, ‘Guys, what are your feelings, you know, we don’t really want to see your tow trucks in here. We want you to stay on side’.”