"This was quicker than expected," Luxembourg City's mayor Lydie Polfer happily stated. During the City Breakfast on Wednesday, she had announced that the Vel'OH issue would be resolved in the coming weeks. Following the municipality's meeting with the operator of the system (JCDecaux), this is a done deal now.
The electric bikes experienced numerous technical problems with the pedal-assist and charging systems after they were launched on 30th November. JCDecaux's Jérôme Blanchevoye recognised something had to be done about the recurring problem. "It is normal to encounter difficulties with a new and ambitious service, but these problems have exceeded the standard", he conceded.
According to Blanchevoye, the company put considerable efforts into detecting and remedying the issue. 1800 Vel'OH terminals and 400 bicycles were serviced. A defective component of the circuit board was also detected and now awaits replacement, Blanchevoye explained.
Lydie Polfer insisted that "these repairs be done as soon as possible". JCDeaux in return announced that the repairs would be completed by mid-April.
To compensate users and thank them for their loyalty, subscriptions will be free until the system is fully operational again. In Blanchevoye's view, it is up to Luxembourg to "set an example for other cities" as the future depends on greener mobility.
Despite initial technical problems, the Vel'OH are a highly successful addition to Luxembourg City's public transport arsenal.
The number of subscribers has increased by 10% since the new system was launched (from 7966 to 8829). The number of completed trips even boasts a 40% increase (from 19,064 to 26,657).
