High Wycombe’s new e-scooters appear to be being abused already – with councillors forced to retrieve abandoned hired vehicles and return them to the High Street.

Twenty-five bright yellow electric scooters were made available in the town as of November 18, and while many people have been taking advantage of the quicker, greener way of getting around, photos on social media show that not everyone is treating them well.

One picture posted on Facebook even appeared to show one of them dumped in the River Wye at The Rye.

Cllr Julia Wassell said retrieving the e-scooters when they had been abandoned was seemingly going to be a “new role” for councillors.

Cllr Wassell, Cllr Andrea Baughan and Cllr Matt Knight found one behind the Lido at The Rye and had to take it back to the High Street on Sunday evening (November 22).

There were fears before the 12-month trial was launched that the motorised scooters would not be treated with respect – with one reader suggesting: “They won’t last long – I’m sure they will get nicked eventually.”

Others pointed to a similar set-up in Slough, with Ben Harrison saying the Berkshire town had become a “nightmare” with “too many scooters abandoned left on the pavement everywhere”.

Rental costs for the e-scooters are a £1 unlock fee and a charge of 15p per minute, with the vehicles booked and paid for by the Zipp Mobility mobile app – but it is not clear what happens when one is not returned.

When riders sign up to use an e-scooter through the app, they have to agree to abide by specific terms, including that they will park them in the allocated parking bays and not deface, vandalise or dismantle them.

Any crash or damage to the e-scooter must also be reported as per the terms of use.

If you see a damaged, vandalised or illegally parked e-scooter, you can report it to Zipp Mobility on info@zippmobility.com.