Has anyone recently had a problem with a bike that’s not been registered by a docking station.
Over the last week, my bike has not been registered by the docking station on three separate occasions. I am always very careful and make sure there is a green light when returning the bike. But recently my bike has not been registered by the docking stations despite the green light on. This is very frustrating and annoying because you are not able to take another bike before someone from Serco to verify that the bike was in returned. This may take at least a few hours . Every time I rang TFL and spoke to Customer Services going through their security check and explaining what happened. TFL says there was a system upgrade that will be beneficial in the long term – but in the short term you pay the money for the service that you cannot use .
I am just wondering whether anyone else experienced similar problems or this is just me .
Yeap. Exactly. It’s broken.
I had the same problem. I couldn’t get any new bikes because the previous one hadn’t registered properly. They had to send someone from their street team to check everything’s fine. By the time this was done, a couple of hours had passed during which I couldn’t undock any bikes (just got a red light) and I was charged about 50 pounds. Have submitted a complaint but haven’t heard back from them. Very annoying.
I think what’s happening is the docking stations where you dock the bike are having connection problems to the network.
When you dock the bike the station records it but doesn’t relay the information to the main system until it makes a connection. If there are connection problems to the main system there can be a delay until the information goes through.
I’ve been having problems getting receipts for my last journey recently. I normally use bikes from/to Euston 7am and 8pm approx which hopefully gives time for the data to get through. Been wondering if I would have problems getting another bike out if unable to get receipt due to connection problems.
Just checked and found out website is not showing any activity since 3rd May, am. Been geeting receipts for most trips since then but a few haven’t shown up. Fingers crossed for the am as I wasn’t able to get one last night when I docked at Taviton St.
>>> If there are connection problems to the main system there can be a delay until the information goes through.
It’s more broken than that. I had an incident (see my 24hr hire issues thread) where I was getting flash of doom, called the call centre and they told me my previous bike was missing. Went to the place I had left it (whilst still on the phone to the call centre), undocked my previous bike, re-docked it and the issue cleared.
This suggests to be that if the station is unable to communicate it will start to lose information and when it does subsequently connect it still doesn’t send the information. This theory is backed up by the fact that I have no journey details for the last three days worth of 24hr hires… zilch.
The only saving grace appears to be that the next time someone (SERCO or otherwise) undocks the bike it seems to mark the bike as being mysteriously recovered.
The updates of the account activity log on the website has been about 7 days behind for a month or so. It used to update more or less instantly. I think the system is overloaded and some db updates are being delayed in order to improve responses elsewhere. Dosn’t seem to be working well though, as red lights when putting a key in the dock seem more common now.
I have had the “docked… green light… Serco says not docked” issue twice recently. When I have returned to the dock to find the bike still there, properly docked, and then release and redock, the agent on the phone says I have been lucky that the bike’s still there. I’d love to see them try to suggest I have lost or stolen the bike, only for it to reappear once their systems catch up..
This morning I managed to release a bike from a rack where nobody at all was getting green lights. I inserted my key, waited about 20 seconds of flashing yellow, then nothing. Pulled bike out still without a green light and as I did so, light went red. There were a couple of other people there who had failed to pull their bikes out when the green light wasn’t showing, only to then get red lights for 5 minutes.
The system remains screwed and the redistribution is worse. There are about 100 new dock spaces under the Marylebone flyover with Edgware Road which have been active for nearly one month now but have never been filled. Therefore out of 100 docks maybe only a max of 6 bikes have ever been available there. Huge waste of investment.. 
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I have had the “docked… green light… Serco says not docked” issue twice recently.
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Not just me then. Apart from the worry… if you are on a 24hr hire this scenario finishes off your hire day.
For the first time in 7 months I have just experienced a billing problem – the result of the dreaded docked green light seemingly not registering. Rode from Cleaver Street to Concert Hall Approach 2. Couldn’t get a receipt. 15 minutes later hired a bike from Jubilee Gardens to Taviton Street where I was able to get a receipt AND for my first trip BUT that receipt said I had terminated at Queen Victoria Street and taken 1hour 5 minutes instead of approx 20 mins. Lucky for me the times on the two receipts overlap so there can be no dispute when I claim for the refund – which sadly I guess will take forever.
I also agree with FarringdonEd – the redistribution appears very lapse at present and I did send an email last week about the apparent oversight of Paddington Green, Kensington Town Hall, Lords, Marylebone Flyover, Edgware Road Station and St John’s Wood area in general. No reply yet.
But its the casual users I really feel sorry for. As a Systems Software Tester in a previous life, this hiring process is the most user unfriendly one I have ever come across! Whoever heard of having to swipe the CC/DC a MINIMUM of two times for a transaction? It’s 2011 not 1911! And no explanatory messages during the process. And you have to swipe the card yet again if you have selected more than one bike as the pin numbers print separately. At Speakers Corner today I must have helped 20 casual users – they couldn’t believe it. No wonder the Customer Service line is in melt down! And the complaints about overcharging are going to be phenominal – User’s only see the £1.00 access fee (also it comes up on the screen)and free 30 minute usage! I was able after several tries (the station went off line temporarily) to obtain a receipt for a Chinese Tourist on her first day here which indicates she will be charged £15.00 instead of the £1.00 she thought!
A Serco engineer was called out while I was there and he said HQ were concerned with the software problems. He had suggested to his boss that staff man some of the busier stations to guide casual users until the situation settles – to no effect. He also helped 4 tourists while I was there. I think TFL should ask for volunteers. (David Cameron’s Big Society – LOL)
Brilliant bikes and docking stations are being badly let down by appalling software – and the Mayor thinks everything is wonderful because of the high usage figures – but the Jubilee Line has high usage figures also!
i have only been using the scheme for about a month and have had this problem twice; the first it was all sorted out amicably in a few hours, the current problem has now been ongoing since Saturday 7th with no apparent momentum to “finding” the bike and unfreezing my key.
It is deeply frustrating, not least the amount of time and energy talking to a different call centre person each time, recounting all the same details, getting all the same empathising “I know how frustrated you must be” – and then nothing. The scheme is wonderful, but the service and software glitches are a recurring nightmare.
I must have upset TFL – my problems have continued today! Upper Grosvenor Street to Broadwick St (Full – unable to extend), Wardour Street (Full – unable to extend)to Frith St one space, dock and given green light. No recepit as credit card reader not working message? New member just registered key cannot release a bike – say it might be because station is temporarily offline! Sadly he leaves a little miffed. 15 minutes later attempt to hire bike – amber then no lights at all – lift saddle and bike releases – assume green light not working.
Ride to William 1V St dock and obtain green light – still unable to get recepit for 2 journeys.
Try to hire at Southampton Street 20 minutes later – all red lights.
Call Help Desk to be told have open journey still and who also accept there are currently many problems – go back to William 1V St and luckily find same bike I docked earlier – get the green light and continue journey to Waterloo where I can now get a receipt but only for this journey, but it is correct. Time alone will tell if I have been overcharged on the second journey.
At William 1V St on second visit 3 Serco staff were there. 2 maintenance guys cleaning docks etc and the 3rd an electrician. He said Serco were concerned but its a new system and has teething problems – LOL. He did say that although Serco were awarded the contract blame lies with another company appointed to carry out the software implementation/updates etc and communication – no name proffered!
Not sure if anyone is accountable at present.
Replying to @Ruzzi‘s post:
What do you mean by “still unable to get recepit”?
Do you mean Print Journey record? If so, this never works for me… it is always at least several days behind.
Similar issues for me today.
When I put the bike into an empty dock this morning I heard a grinding noise and saw the orange light then a red light, however the bike was firmly locked into place.
As I was a little concerned about the appearance of the red light I went to the docking points terminal to try to print out a journey record however the journey wasn’t visible on the screen, therefore I went back to the bike and inserted the key into the dock, duly got a green light and was able to release the bike. I therefore proceeded to try to re-dock the bike into a different free docking point at the terminal with the same result, a grinding noise followed by an orange light then a red light, however the bike was firmly locked into place so assuming there was a glitch in the system I thought nothing more of it and went to work.
However, on trying to hire a bike on my lunch break I found that I was being given long flashing orange lights followed by red lights on every bike I tried over three different docking stations. I therefore phoned the helpline and was told that my morning’s journey still appeared on he system to be active. The representative told me that she could either send someone to the docking station to look into it or she could give me the bike number and I could go back to it and try to re-release it and re-dock it elsewhere to conclude the journey. She also informed me that this was something of a common complaint.
After a bit of a moan on my part I opted for this option and found the bike which was still there and was able to release it with the key and used the bike for a journey where it docked fine as normal.
It looks like either a problem with the docking station or the dock mechanism on the bike. I expect to be charged about £35 for this (luckily I decided to use a bike at lunchtime or it would have been £50) which I am sure I’m going to have to fight to get back! Its especially annoying as I have been using the scheme nearly every day since day one and have never incurred as much as a £1 charge before.
Replying to BrianFWombat post
You rightly correct me! I meant “print journey record” not receipt which I notice I also spelt wrongly – senior citizen moment – LOL
Since I began using the scheme 7 months ago, I have always attempted to print out said journey record and to be fair 99% of the time it has worked – even if it were later in the day and not necessarily at the end of each trip.
Luckily for me this habit has proven well founded especially on the 10th and 11th May when I encountered incorrect journey details and billing – sadly like so many others.
I’d have to say, I’ve never had a problem getting them to reverse charges, on the 3 or 4 occasions when something has gone wrong. They seem to be giving people the benefit of the doubt.
