Moped rental company Go Sharing is pulling out of 11 more Dutch cities and removing 5,000 of its bright green motorbikes from the country’s streets in an effort to boost profits.

The company will remain active in Amsterdam and Haarlem, chief executive Mudzahid Beslija told broadcaster NOS. The company won a licence to operate in the capital this year.

In 2022, the company reduced its services in the Netherlands from some 45 Dutch towns to just 13, citing use that was “below expectations”.

So-called “shared” mopeds, which are paid for by the minute and can be parked anywhere, are now subject to increased restrictions. Groningen, for example, has introduced “hubs” where the two-wheelers have to be parked and that has halved their use, the companies say.

Go Sharing’s financial problems have also been compounded by vandalism and the introduction of compulsory helmets, which Beslija told NOS is “extreme legislation”.

The decision by Go Sharing to pull out of most Dutch cities means just two players – Felyx and Check – remain in most of the Dutch “shared” moped market.