E-scooter operator Dott has pulled out of London. Echoing comments made when it removed all of its e-bikes from service last year, the brand blamed the “rapid and unregulated rise of e-bikes,” which it says makes it impossible to run a financially sustainable shared e-scooter service.

Last year Dott removed its 2,500 bikes from London and moved them to Paris and Rome.

Chief executive Henri Moissinac cited the large number of London share scheme operators as motivation, pointing in particular to different boroughs striking different deals and resultant geofencing issues.

“It makes no sense for the user to get stuck on some kind of virtual barrier between one borough and another... to cut the city in half like this,” he said. “Almost every ride in central London would lead to a complaint... the negative impact was so big for us we had to stop.”

As the e-scooter side of its operations was being run via a contract with Transport for London (TfL), the same issues did not apply, but Dott said the knock-on effects were nevertheless insurmountable.

“Through close collaboration with TfL we have been able to demonstrate that e-scooters can be integrated into London in a safe and responsible way,” a spokesperson told City AM.

“But the rapid and unregulated rise of e-bikes has left the e-scooter service unable to compete. This meant that it was not possible for us to run a financially sustainable shared e-scooter service under the current market conditions in London.”

Dott may however retain some sort of presence in the capital long term, as it recently confirmed a merger with Tier, who are still running both e-bikes and e-scooters.

Commenting on the disappearance of Dott-branded vehicles from London’s streets, the firm appeared to advocate greater consolidation, urging London authorities, “to consider a single, joint tender for e-scooters and e-bikes, creating a consistent, well-integrated service which encourages more people to switch to sustainable transport.

“We would welcome discussions about re-introducing our service should the situation change in the future, with consistent regulations across the city and for e-scooters and e-bikes.”