Scooter share company fined and scooters removed from Xàbia streets

Tuesday 15th February 2022 – CARLOS LÓPEZ
Translated from an original article in Xàbia AL DÍA

Just a month ago, it was reported that the Hopp Bike company was trying to introduce the concept of the ‘scooter-share’ in Xàbia, a system in which users would ‘rent’ a scooter using a specialized APP which would show the nearest location of a free vehicle and charge the user appropriately for their trip..

Now it seems that the company was trying to implement the system without having consulted the regulations or having been granted permission by the local council to do so. Shortly after the news of the initiative was announced, the scooters began disappearing from the streets and nothing more was heard of them.

Xàbia AL DÍA has subsequently discovered that the Policía Local de Xàbia had been tasked with removing the scooters and also opening of file to investigate the charge of occupation of the public highway without permission.

A total of 23 scooters were removed, the company contacted and invited to collect them – as well as a little surprise: a fine of 700 euros in relation to the above charge. The police also informed the company that it must have a permit from the local council to introduce this type of business model to Xàbia.

The idea of a shared scooter system is a good one. Residents were surprised by the appearance of these vehicles in every corner of Xàbia. But, as with many things, the desire to get the concept off the ground was too quick for the administrative red tape.

The scooters no longer appear on the company website and it remains to be seen in the business tries to implement the system again, this time having received the corresponding permits from the local council in Xàbia.

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