Boris bike users could get a free half hour if they return their cycles to empty docking stations.
The move is an attempt to improve the “recycling” of bicycles after people complained they could not find a place to dock their bikes at peak times.
The incentive, which is used in Paris, is being considered to improve the reliability of the bike rental scheme after a survey revealed that one in five members was threatening to quit. It would help to re-stock docking stations at railway stations such as Waterloo which quickly empty at rush-hour.
In a poll by Transport for London, 20 per cent of members — more than double the previous number — said they could leave the scheme.
Of those planning to quit, 56 per cent blamed the cost, which doubled to an annual £90 this year. One in three said it was because the system of “recycling” bikes was poor.
The poll found the overall satisfaction level fell only slightly from 70 per cent to 69 per cent, which TfL blamed on the disruption caused by the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
A TfL spokesman said: “We are always looking for innovative and effective ways to manage the tidal demand for bikes at peak times. Variable pricing or incentive schemes remain in our thinking, but having altered the tariff in January there are no immediate plans to change the pricing structure.”
Caroline Pidgeon, chairwoman of the London Assembly transport committee, said: “We need to consider adjusting the charging structure and providing incentives for bikes to be returned to certain docking stations.”
TfL has threatened to fine contractors Serco unless the service improves but there have been concerns that it would not follow through on the threat.
The figures were released by TfL following a Freedom of Information request by website Mayorwatch. Full docking stations were a greater problem than bike availability, the poll found.
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There were 9.5 million hires last year and 20 million since the scheme launched three years ago. Satisfaction levels with bike quality fell to the lowest level, with only 42 per cent saying they were happy. The biggest complaint was problems with the gears.
