IÉ liable for bike damage?
 

Someone attempted to steal my bike from Balbriggan Station yesterday. In attempting to break (unsuccessfully) the U-lock on the back wheel, they did considerable damage to the frame and wheel. Repair of my bike is estimated to cost €200-300.

I reported the incident to the Guards last night and to a member of staff at the station this morning (who was unsurprisingly uninterested in my predicament). Security at Balbriggan is a serious issue, as CCTV coverage is evidently inadequate and staff are either unable or unwilling to do anything. This is not the first time that my bike has been damaged in an attempted robbery, and I have heard anecdotally of other incidents over the years. I even contacted a (now ex-) Dublin North TD last year who raised the issue with both the GardaÃ* and IÉ. However, nothing was ever done.

Anyway, the general poor security at the station aside, do I have any recourse with IÉ? I feel that they have been negligent and should cover some, if not all, of the cost of repairs to my bike. I think I know the answer already, but any advice would be appreciated.

Unless the damage was Iarnród Éireann's fault they are not liable for it. They have these signs in the car parks and over bike racks stating it and by parking/locking up bikes etc you accept them terms. I feel sorry for the situation you are in because of scum-bags. But write to Iarnród Éireann tell them about this and that you feel they need to increase security and surveillance in the station.

Furthermore I think anyone who charges for parking (be it Iarnród Éireann/Councils/shopping centres) should be enforced by law to have security on site and near 100% surveillance and insurance in case someone steals personal belongings from you're car/van or damages your vehicle.

Perhaps more secure bicycle lockers, similar to those the BART uses for stations around San Francisco could be implemented here in higher risk areas?

Bike-Link:

http://www.bikelink.org/



I know already, however there are stations such as Glenageary & Booterstown on the DART line which have gated bicycle locking areas as well.

Lockers are being provided at new stations, eg M3 Parkway

Irish Rail is not liable and there should be notices to that extent on display

There is a grey area as if you had paid for the right to park you might have grounds to seek some compensation regardless of notices claiming the opposite

Off topic due to the fact that it's Luas, but the survey results are in for their Cycle+Ride discussion.


http://www.luas.ie/cycle-survey-results.html#five

I 100% agree. Let's actully get value for our money