AN e-scooter was left dumped at a train station just days after a trial project was launched in Clacton.

Fifty scooters have been made available for hire in a “geo-fenced” area of Clacton as part of the scheme, which launched last Monday.

It means bikes cannot be used outside of the designated area.

But one of the scooters was left dumped at Thorpe train station on Friday.

The trials is being run by e-scooter company Spin along with Essex County Council, Tendring Council and Essex Police.

Steve Pyer, manager of Spin UK, urged people not to abuse the bikes – and warned users would be banned if they abandon the bikes.

“We strongly advise all of our riders to respect public access ways by parking orderly on the pavement,” he said.

“We urge riders to refrain from abandoning scooters and impeding on pedestrian’s ability to freely travel to and from their destinations.

“If we continue to see issues with improper parking, we will need to take further action which could result in account suspension.”

Spin said riders are required to take a picture at the end of their ride to ensure safe parking.

The project has been launched as part of a campaign aimed at fighting climate change.

Th trial aims to discover whether or not the company can provide a safe way for electric scooters to be used for travel on public land in the community.

Alex Porter, Tendring councillor responsible for leisure and tourism, last week said he was pleased the town was being included in the trial, which will guide national policy on e-scooters.

He added: “I would like to remind people that this is a pilot scheme - and it is important that we fully engage with the process so we can pick up any issues or learning points so everyone can benefit.”

To download the Spin app, visit spin.app.