The Transport for London (TfL) Oyster Photocard concession website has reopened for 18+ Oyster photocards and several other concessions following a recent cyber security incident. The cyber attack happened on September 1 and merited investigations from the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre. New concession photocard applications were paused while TfL undertook important security checks.
From today (Monday, November 4), those applying for new 18+ Student, 18 to 25 Care Leaver and Apprentice Oyster photocards can submit applications again, and TfL will look to process these as quickly as it can. The 18+ Student photocard allows customers to save 30 per cent on adult-rate Travelcards and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets if they are 18 or over. It also applies to those who live in a London borough during term time and are enrolled at a school, college or university registered on the TfL scheme, or on a mandatory work placement in London.
In the coming weeks, TfL will start accepting new applications for new 60+ Oyster photocards applications, and by late November it will have started to accept new applications for 5 to 10, 11 to 15 and 16+ Zip Oyster photocards. Once new photocards have been applied for, where possible, credit remaining on expired Zip photocards can be transferred across to new photocards by contacting TfL customer services.
Customers are also advised to keep a record of any fares that they feel should be refunded. In addition, the postponed yearly address check, which are required for holders of 60+ Oyster photocards, will also start again later this year and TfL will write to customers to confirm when this will begin. Customers needing to apply for a Freedom Pass can continue to do so via London Councils.
Parents and guardians of those with expired Zip photocards have been emailed to inform them of this, and posters in TfL stations have also been updated. TfL and train operating companies have also informed bus drivers and all gateline staff of this change. TfL intends to refund customers who have paid more for their travel than they should have due to TfL not being able to accept new photocard applications.
Once new photocards have been issued, TfL will share an update on how customers can apply for refunds for any additional travel costs incurred due to not being able to apply for a photocard. Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “TfL has been working incredibly hard around the clock to restore the services which had to be temporarily taken offline while it responded to a highly sophisticated cyber attack. The Mayor and I commend TfL on its response, which has kept London moving and avoided the consequences of the attack being even worse.
“We’re really pleased TfL has now started accepting Oyster photocard applications for several concessions, including 18+ Student and 18 – 25 Care Leavers, and are assured work is ongoing to ensure that other photocard applications are opened as quickly as possible in the coming weeks.”
Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at TfL said: “Following the recent highly sophisticated cyber security incident, we have been working to restore systems which we had to take offline as part of our mitigations. We’re now pleased that we can restart processing Oyster photocard applications for students and will also work to ensure that other photocard applications can start being processed as quickly as possible.
Once customers have successfully applied for a new Oyster photocard, we will also contact them to advise on how to claim for any additional travel costs incurred while the photocard website has been unavailable.”
Goksu Danaci, President of the Students’ Union at University College London (UCL) said: “The 18+ Student Oyster is a vital initiative for our students and we’re relieved this issue, caused by a recent cyber-attack, is coming to an end. Students have had a difficult start to the academic year with continuing cost of living pressures, and travel costs are a large part of a students daily expense. We’re pleased TfL is now accepting 18+ Student Photocards applications again and has committed to refund students for any additional costs they’ve incurred during the time applications have been unavailable.”
