Dublin Bikes service glitch leaves commuters stranded

A total of 36 Dublin Bikes stations across capital affected by communications failure

Dublin Bikes users across the capital were left stranded on Monday after faulty connections at numerous stations prevented cyclists from collecting bikes.

The Dublin Bikes rental scheme posted on its website that a “significant number of Coca-Cola Zero Dublin Bikes stations” had been disconnected from the network since this morning.

A total of 36 stations around Dublin were affected by the communications glitch.

A spokesperson for the outdoor advertising company JC Decaux told The Irish Times that the communication system at stations had failed due to "an issue with a network operator" but did not confirm when all bikes would be available for use again.

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The spokesperson added that network operator issues can occur from time to time but usually on a much smaller scale and that they “are generally dealt with very quickly”.

A statement from the company online wrote: “Our data communications supplier is working on the issue with the aim of restoring service as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Nearly 70,000 people are signed up to Dublin's bike rental scheme as long-term subscribers. There are more than 1,500 bikes at 102 stations dotted across the north and south of the city stretching from Kilmainham to the Dockhands.

The bike service has been in operation in Dublin since 2009 as a partnership between JC Decaux and Dublin City Council. In 2014 the scheme signed a three-year deal with Coca-Cola and last week it announced that online takeaway order company Just East would become the new sponsor.

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak is an Irish Times reporter and cohost of the In the News podcast