Colchester’s Dott bikes and scooters seem like an easy and effective piece of transport on paper. A simple hop on and hop off from point A to point B. But in reality they are a nightmarish nuisance which frustrates and disrupts residents. So should the scooters get the sack?
Dott bikes and scooters (previously named Tier) have existed in Colchester for quite some time now. And although they benefit some locals it’s fair to say they greatly irritate others.
The idea is when you have finished your journey with the vehicle you leave it in a proper and suitable place for the next person. But alas this is apparently too difficult for some.
Dott vehicles are often discarded like litter and are left in either a stupid place, stupid position or even worse…both.
Firstly, when dumped off somewhere they can make our city seem dirty and untidy in the same way graffiti and overflowing bins do. This is not the way we want Colchester to be.
Another issue is when they are foolishly plonked in the middle of a path. This can be incredibly annoying especially for elderly or disabled residents who can sometimes find their access blocked.
I spoke to a local who wished to remain anonymous for this article. When I questioned them about their opinions on the Dott vehicles they said “although positives exist for them, they are heavily outweighed by the negatives and overall are a nuisance”. They also described the vehicles as “unsightly”.
And this is just scratching the surface of the issue. There have also been reports of the vehicles being dumped in the road or in nearby bodies of water. Furthermore, the scooters aren’t exactly the safest possible mode of transport.
It is also quite a concern that this problem also seems to be spreading across the country. Rent-a-bike and Rent-a-scooter systems are becoming far too common across towns and cities in England.
Even London, which was once perfect with its beautiful and ingenious system of Santander Cycles is now infected with what are called Lime Bikes and Scooters.
So should we give scooters to the scrap?