Cost of vandalism to e-bike scheme rises to £100,000

E-bikes in Inverness and Fort William have been vandalised and stolen

The cost of vandalism and thefts to a Highland electric bike scheme has risen to £100,000, its organisers have said.

Public transport group Hitrans suspended its Hi-Bike service in Inverness last week after just six of its 56 bikes in the city were left useable.

Some of its e-bikes in Fort William have also been targeted.

Hitrans had previously estimated the cost of the anti-social behaviour to be £50,000.

The incidents have been reported to police.

Bikes have been found crashed and broken, while others have been thrown into rivers and the Caledonian Canal.

In Inverness, bikes have been damaged by people attempting to wrench them out of charging stations.

Hitrans has noticed increasing problems with vandalism since the Easter school holidays.

It said it hoped to get the scheme, launched three years ago, back up and running as soon as possible.