Cubic Transportation Systems has won the contract for Transport
for London's (TfL) Oyster system. It will sublet some of the work
to EDS.
The companies were awarded the contract despite being the main
players in the supplier consortium at the time of two
software failures earlier this year.
TfL
has demanded £1m compensation for the failures.
TfL said the new arrangement would save money compared to the
current private finance initiative (PFI) contract. The move is part
of TfL's £2.4bn efficiency savings outlined last week in its ten
year business plan. Ownership of the Oyster brand will pass to
TfL.
Tfl announced the
termination of the original contract in August, but it will run
for another two years before the new, three-year contract takes its
place.
The original swipe card system, which uses RFID technology to
allow passengers to pay for travel on the London Underground and
buses, was cancelled earlier this year after the software failures.
EDS and Cubic were the main companies in the consortium of
suppliers called Transys.
Shashi Verma, TfL's director of fares and ticketing, said,
"Transport for London is delighted that its successful partnership
with Cubic and EDS will now continue for the next five years. The
new contracts will deliver better value for money and improvements
to Oyster for passengers across London."
The Oyster system was originally created and maintained through
a PFI contract with TranSys.