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Boris bike firm told to improve after 15,000 charging errors
Peter Dominiczak, City Hall Correspondent22 Jun 2011
The firm that runs the Boris Bike scheme has been read the riot act by the Mayor over its "unfortunate" performance after it emerged that nearly 15,000 customers have been incorrectly charged.
Serco has had about £5 million of payments withheld by Transport for London and has now been given a "critical improvement plan".
Since the cycle hire scheme was launched in July last year 14,937 people have received refunds for access or usage charges. Last month almost 600 people had money withdrawn from their bank accounts for journeys they had not taken.
Although most were overcharged by less than £10, one customer had £300 taken and 24 others lost more than £50. The firm refunded this money and also paid more than £6,000 in compensation as a
"goodwill gesture".
A TfL spokesman said: "We have issued Serco with a critical improvement plan as the service they have provided for our Barclays Cycle Hire users has not reached the consistently high standard we expect.
"The plan details what we need to see delivered for Londoners and we expect to see immediate
improvements."
Serco's contract to run the scheme is worth £140 million over six years.
Green Party mayoral candidate Jenny Jones today said: "Like most Londoners I've been very excited by the bike hire scheme and I believed that the glitches would get sorted fairly quickly. Sadly, the Mayor has failed on the detailed working of a scheme which has been riddled with technical problems.
"Overcharging is one of the more visible problems, but the biggest complaint seems to be the failure of bikes to release and people having to walk ages to find one that works.
"The Mayor has clearly stated that he needs to resolve these problems before he expands the scheme to east London and I hope he manages to get a grip on things in time for the 2012 Games."
Responding to London Assembly members' questions Mr Johnson said: "It is unfortunate that such errors have occurred." However, he added: "It is important to note that over five million journeys have been taken on scheme cycles, meaning refunds have been issued for some 0.3 per cent of all journeys."
About 22,000 people use more than 5,000 cycle hire bikes every day. TfL has said about 2,700 docking points will be created in east London by next year and another 1,500 across central London.
Reader views (8)
Boris has apparently "Read the Riot Act".
Is this more, or less, serious than when he is "incandescent with rage" (as he was about Underground delays recently)?
- Jake, London, 22/06/2011 18:40
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Serco is the same company that run the DLR. They're the ones who employ agency workers as Revenue Inspectors to patrol their network issuing £25 fines for not touching in even if there is sufficient funds on the persons Oyster card. No ifs or buts, fined straight away! No surprise then that they have been ripping people off for the bikes too!
- Tony, Essex, 22/06/2011 12:07
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*Only* 15,000? I expect it's far more than that when you factor in the foreign tourists who haven't claimed back their overcharging and those, like Oyster users, who won't phone the helpline as they know that the cost of the phone call will be more than than the sum they have been overcharged.
The cycle hire scheme was rushed through without being properly tested as it was Boris Johnson's pet project - he is also prepared to throw unlimited amounts of London taxpayers' money at, despite the fact that he promised it would cost us nothing and be totally covered by sponsorship. We see Johnson doing exactly the same with his cable car - rushed through, promised to be covered by sponsorship, yet £57m of our money being spent on it.
Please vote this idiot out next May.
- Helen, West London, 22/06/2011 11:51
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TfL has issued Serco with a critical improvement plan."For running the bike hire scheme.
Is this the same TFL who are ripping off tube and bus passengers to the tune of a £1million pound a week, with its control of the oyster card
All you need to find out the truth is to see the voicepiece of the TFL and then you will see thats where you money goes!
- Raggy, London, 22/06/2011 11:37
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a msg to Jenny, as much as I think Boris is a bit of a buffon on many accounts, if Serco is running the scheme, and has a CEO, MD, Directors, staff and HR, surely this is their fault rather than Boris's.
- Leigh (formerly Yup, another Gooner), London, 22/06/2011 11:21
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Responding to London Assembly members' questions Mr Johnson said: "It is unfortunate that such errors have occurred." However, he added: "It is important to note that over five million journeys have been taken on scheme cycles, meaning refunds have been issued for some 0.3 per cent of all journeys."
Unashamed spin from Boris!
Most people who pay the annual fee do so because they use the bikes regulary, ergo sum they will usually make more journies than PAYG customers. The vast majority of overcharges have been to PAYG customers who make fewer journies.
- Brixtonite, SW2, 22/06/2011 10:29
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Peter Is it true Serco is allowed to hand
"Boris bike" users details over to the police ? Like an FOI revealed years ago that TFL Oyster card do.
Would they hand over Boris's details if asked ?
If so do the police pay TFL or Serco ?
- Brian......South Kensington, London, 22/06/2011 09:51
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TfL has issued Serco with a critical improvement plan."For running the bike hire scheme.
Is this the same TFL who are ripping off tube and bus passengers to the tune of a £1million pound a week, with its control of the oyster card
- Mr S.Port, London, 22/06/2011 09:26
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