Electric shared scooters are about to go the way of the dodo bird in Utrecht. That is…extinct. 😳
The city has just announced that it will no longer be renewing the permit for these scooters, reports RTL Nieuws.
They’re just not worth it
This move comes after the municipality acquired a permit to test the perceived added value of these scooters from startup company Tier.
The results are…rather disappointing.
Users only drive 3.7km with the scooters — just as much as they do with shared e-bikes. However, unlike e-bikes, the scooters can’t fit into existing bike racks, and instead hog quite a bit of space.
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Not to mention the fact that shared scooter users have the tendency to park more haphazardly than drunk tourists biking in Amsterdam (and that’s saying something!) 👀
As a result of these findings, the city council has announced that it does not see enough value in renewing the permits for these scooters.
E-bikes take the crown
The municipality now favours more active methods of transport, such as walking, biking…and electric share bikes. Yep, the flock of e-bikes is set to double — from 500 to 1,000.
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This is sad news for a scooter-herd that stands 300-strong, which will begin to be slowly phased out into extinction at the end of November. Tier will be informing users to say doei to their favourite two-wheeled friends via their app.
Lower those pitchforks!
This will, no doubt, be cause for celebration for the number of residents who have loudly complained about these two-wheeled terrors.
In fact, Utrecht is one of several municipalities that are actively taking measures against the scooting horde plaguing their masses.
Scooter numbers are being culled to quell the rise in complaints about them being parked illegally — and for being pains in general.
What are your thoughts of shared scooters being told to scoot off? Tell us all about it in the comments below!