bikes for hire? transport of the future or garbage of the future?

Electric hire bikes have just been introduced in Brent and there are some anxieties about their collection after use (see https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2018/12/will-lime-e-dockless-electric-assisted.html).  This non electric hire bike has been in the street next to my house for about three weeks.

I looked up Lime E the electric bike and scooter hire firm that now operates in Brent and already operates in some US and NZ cities, in the former they seem to operate a freelance collection scheme paying individuals per bike or scooter for collection  in private vehicles and to recharge them and put them back in a location where they can be hired again. Does such a scheme make the collection of this bike from a relatively far flung location uneconomic? And would it lead to more discarded hire bikes on the streets?