A row over sponsorship signs could lead to a price hike for Dublin Bike users.

Dublin City Councillors have refused to allow four advertising screens to be erected in the southeast of the city.

The so-called Metropoles, which are about three metres wide and six metres tall, were to go up at Donnybrook Road, Shelbourne Road, Pembroke Road and Charlemont Street as part of a deal with the firm JC Decaux – who were to help pay for the bikes in return.

Councillor Niall Ring has said that without the money from JC Decaux, the €1.9m Dublin Bikes scheme would fall short of funding.

“(The scheme) costs €1.92m. We get €1.3m in advertising and €0.3m from Coca Cola. There’s a deficit of about €360,000,” he said.

“You can’t run a scheme with 1,500 bikes and 100 stations for nothing.”

The scheme runs at an annual €376,000 loss to the council. Currently an annual card costs €20, with a three-day ticket costing €5. The first 30 minutes of use is free on every bike. A price hike to €35 for the annual subscription has been proposed if the Metropoles are not erected to offset the cost.

The alternative to a price hike would be a reduction in the service, taking bikes out of the scheme and/or reducing the number of bike stations.