UK: Transport for London has appointed Indra as the next strategic and technical partner for the operation of its fare collection system, which the Spanish company said is ‘the world’s largest and most prestigious ticketing system, serving one of the most far-reaching and complex public transportation networks on the planet’.
The £524m contract known as Project Proteus runs until 2034. Options and possible extensions to 2039 could take the total value to more than £845m. The signing of the contract was announced on January 16, having been delayed by an appeal submitted by incumbent contractor Cubic Transportation Systems.
There will be a two-year transition period before Indra becomes the sole provider of the ticketing system covering around 1 000 London Underground, Docklands Light Railway and National Rail stations, 8 500 buses, London Trams stops, 24 ferry boarding points, 4 000 shops selling ticketing products and seven customer service centres.
The contract covers management of the ticket vending machines, validators, gates, retail sales terminals and portable inspection equipment, as well as the technical infrastructure and back office. These handle more than 8·6 million journeys a day.
Enhancement plans
New technologies are to be implemented to make the system more efficient and automate key processes.
A significant milestone will be the implementation of an account-based ticketing platform incorporating the Oyster closed-loop proprietary smart card that has been in operation since 2003. ABT should provide TfL with greater flexibility in setting new fares and automatically applying the best fare for the traveller.
Global flagship
The UK is a target market under Indra’s Leading the Future Strategic Plan, along with Ireland and North America, and the company said winning one of the largest contracts in its history would consolidate its position among the top three urban public transport technology companies worldwide.
Indra Executive Chairman Ángel Escribano said London is ‘a global flagship, a leader in the field and an example of innovative and sustainable mobility for the rest of the world’s metropolises’. Indra is ‘ready and eager to take on the challenge with responsibility, with a view to exceeding customer expectations and helping improve mobility for everyone living in or visiting the UK capital’.
