May 3: The winner of the International Transport Forum’s prestigious Transport Achievement Award is being honoured today at a ceremony during the annual summit of Transport Ministers held in Leipzig, Germany. Transport for London, the Association of Train Operating Companies and Cubic, from the United Kingdom, receives the Award for taking London’s famous Oyster card smart ticketing scheme to a new level.

Through collaboration, the Oyster was extended to overground railway services. Since January 2010, customers have enjoyed the benefits travelling on all major public transport modes in London with one flexible ticket, covering 250 rail destinations within Greater London. In the two years since launch, usage has grown from 0.5 million journeys per week to 2.5 million journeys per week, on overground railways alone.

Michael Kloth, Acting Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum, congratulated the winners on their achievement: “The project demonstrates how commitment to collaboration among public and private stakeholders can create a more joined-up transport system,” said Kloth. “This project is an excellent example of making transport more seamless, for the benefit of all users.”

Two other applicants will receive a special mention in the award ceremony, for projects deemed worthy by the expert jury: Land Transport Authority, Singapore, for its PLANET data analytics for urban planning and development, and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, India, for its continued effort to enhance organised public transport services for medium-size cities.