The head of transport in New Zealand’s largest city is threatening to pull every Lime scooter off the footpaths if the company does not address a technical glitch causing scooters to brake suddenly at high speed.

Lime e-scooters hit the streets of Auckland in October last year, followed by mass roll-outs in Christchurch, Dunedin and the Hutt Valley.

The e-scooters have proved a huge hit but at a cost. The Accident Compensation Authority (ACC) has recorded more than 1,200 injury claims for e-scooters since October last year, at a cost to the public of $566,405. The majority of the injuries – 656 – have been in Auckland.

The glitch has seen riders break collarbones and jaws, among other serious injuries.

In particular, there are concerns about the speed at which the scooters can travel (up to 48km/h) and the rising number of accidents.

“We cannot let cool trump safety,” Auckland Transport chairman Lester Levy told RNZ. “From the outset, I have had serious safety concerns, initially about user behaviour, but recently we’re seeing what could be equipment – either software or mechanical failure. I am very concerned.”

A loss of balance or personal control was the most common reason listed for an injury claim, but unexpected braking issues were not able to be isolated from the data, ACC said.

The company has admitted some of their scooters suffer from a malfunction which can cause the wheels to seize up when ridden at high speeds. A similar problem occurred to the company’s fleet in Switzerland, forcing them to withdraw the entire fleet earlier this year.

In a statement to news website Stuff, Lime said the affected scooters had been removed from circulation, but would not comment on how many scooters were affected, or how big their New Zealand fleet was, citing commercial sensitivity.

Levy said unless the California-based company could prove its e-scooters were safe by the end of the week, they would be immediately removed.

Lime and the New Zealand transport minister Phil Twyford have been contacted for comment.