E-scooter company tight-lipped on issue that has kept vehicles out of action in Aylesbury

But operators Zipp Mobility have declined to say why – and can’t say when the e-scooters will be working again.

The e-scooter hire scheme was launched for a trial run in Aylesbury, High Wycombe, and Princes Risborough in 2022. But the scooters have been ‘unavailable to hire’ since at least 24 June. Zipp Mobility agreed a similar deal with Slough Council to trial the electric vehicle service in May, 2024.

Charlie Wilson, UK country manager for Zipp Mobility, told the (Local Democracy Reporting Service) LDRS the company hoped to bring the scooters back ‘as quickly as possible’. He said: “As you have noticed our scooters are still off the roads and are unavailable for hire.

“We are working closely with Slough council and other affected areas on a solution that will bring e-scooters back to Slough as quickly as possible. We should be in a position to update on this soon.”

The issues have also put similar hire schemes out of action in Buckinghamshire and Somerset. A statement from Somerset Council issued in July said the scheme there was halted ‘due to an unexpected supplier issue’.

Last month, Buckinghamshire Councillor Steven Broadbent said he hoped the trial would resume in late July. Earlier this year the scheme was extended in Buckinghamshire, and lasts until 2026.

Mr Wilson did not respond to requests for further information on the unexpected problem. But he said the scheme was run ‘at no cost to Slough Council’.