Request ID: FOI-3733-2324 Date published: 12 February 2024
You asked
Dear Freedom of Information Officer
I would like to make a request for information under the FoI Act.
1. Please give by year the number of London Cycle Hire Scheme bikes that have had to be withdrawn from service by year due to failure of any part of their frame. Please break down the answer by which part of the frame had failed.
2. What is the inspection regime to check for frame failures for Cycle Hire Scheme bikes? Please share any Standard Operating Procedures you have on safety vehicle inspection.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-3733-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 20 January 2024 asking for information about Santander cycles.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy.
I can confirm that we do hold some of the information you require. You asked:
1. Please give by year the number of London Cycle Hire Scheme bikes that have had to be withdrawn from service by year due to failure of any part of their frame. Please break down the answer by which part of the frame had failed.
Unfortunately, this breakdown is not available. Bikes are removed from the scheme and decommissioned for a variety of reasons.
Note all bikes are given a full service at least once every 12 months. In addition, if a customer finds a fault with a bike and presses the red button on the docking point it is returned to a depot and a full service performed. If as part of that service a fault is found the mechanic will fix the bike with replacement parts where possible. If the bike cannot be safely fixed it is removed from service. Sometimes this can be due to frame damage but there are often multiple reasons why a bike has to be decommissioned. Bikes are most likely to be decommissioned after being involved in an accident or from suffering deliberate vandalism.
2. What is the inspection regime to check for frame failures for Cycle Hire Scheme bikes? Please share any Standard Operating Procedures you have on safety vehicle inspection.
Please see attached the inspection process which each bike undergoes each time it visits the workshop.
If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Tahsin Prima FOI Case Officer General Counsel Transport for London
