The Australian Capital Territory has ordered Beam Mobility to remove its electric scooters from Canberra’s streets after an investigation found the company had been manipulating data about its fleet.

Other cities, including Brisbane, Townsville and Auckland, have already dropped their partnerships with the Singaporean company amid accusations that it exceeded fleet limits.

Transport Canberra and City Services deputy general manager Ben McHugh said Beam’s operating licence would not be renewed and its e-scooters must be taken out of service by midnight on Sunday 8 September and removed from public places by 4pm on Friday 13 September.

Mr McHugh said officials received information last month that Beam had acted in breach of the terms of its permit by manipulating data and launched an investigation.

“While the investigation is ongoing, we have so far been able to establish that some of these investigations have been substantiated, particularly those related to data manipulation,” he said.

Beam has been granted permission to operate 950 electric scooters in Canberra, but with restrictions on the number of vehicles in each region of the city.

To ensure limits were met, the government monitored the number of people using e-scooters using the Ride Report platform.

“Our investigation included correspondence with Beam, field inspections and working with City Software Solutions, the company that manages Ride Report,” Mr McHugh said.

“We also worked with other jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand to reach our decision.”

Beam Mobility said it has hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations against it.

“We have retained a law firm to conduct an outside investigation. We cannot comment further while the investigation is ongoing,” a Beam Mobility spokesman said.

“As previously disclosed, we intend to share the findings of this investigation and our own internal investigation with all council partners and other key stakeholders upon its conclusion, subject to the confidentiality of the findings.”

The restrictions on the number of e-scooters Beam could operate were introduced to increase safety and ensure competitive neutrality for Neuron Mobility, which also operates e-scooters in Canberra.

More electric scooter suppliers wanted in ACT

A Neuron spokesperson praised the Australian Capital Territory government for “taking swift and decisive action” against Beam Mobility.

“We are monitoring the situation in Australia and New Zealand very closely and expect other cities to follow suit,” a Neuron spokesperson said.

The Australian Capital Territory Government is set to launch an expressions of interest process to attract more e-scooter suppliers to the nation’s capital.

“We want to continue to support more sustainable modes of transport that reduce car use,” Mr McHugh said.

ABC has reached out to Beam Mobility for comment.

The City of Melbourne recently ended contracts with e-scooter companies over concerns about the safety and behaviour of some users.