Hopp disqualified, new operator missing in action, and residents angry after months of broken rules, empty streets, and unanswered questions.
Residents of Orihuela Costa are left scratching their heads as the municipal e-scooter service saga drags on—with no scooters on the streets and tensions mounting over the controversial tender process.
After the popular local operator Hopp was disqualified, the Town Hall rushed to announce that a new company had taken over. But despite official claims, the reality is stark: over 120 days have passed since the contract was awarded, and the service is still nowhere to be seen.
The rules were clear—any winning bidder had to start operations within 30 days—yet the new company has failed to meet even that basic requirement.
Critics point out multiple breaches: the company lacked proper registration documents at the Registro Mercantil de Alicante, the promised scooter parking facilities were never built (a single hastily painted area is the only proof), and the operator itself has almost no experience in running shared mobility services.
For weeks, residents and industry players have tried to get answers from the Town Hall—all requests for meetings ignored.
Meanwhile, locals who have relied on the scooter service are frustrated, questioning whether the authorities will eventually block taxis and buses too.
Some are already pointing fingers at hidden interests possibly influencing the decision to favour a company with minimal local track record.
As Orihuela Costa waits for its first e-scooter to hit the streets, one thing is clear: the Town Hall’s handling of this tender is raising eyebrows—and tempers—across the community.
Residents and companies alike are asking: when will common sense—and the law—finally catch up with the Orihuela municipal authorities as they continue to treat their citizens with contempt.?
