[avianlyric]

> It probably doesn't need to be outsourced. We're well past the internet revolution and it's time for these core competencies to be reabsorbed by government departments.

TfL’s ticketing system isn’t outsourced, it was built in house and is sold to other transit operators like New York’s MTA.

The UK has no official identification card (something the public have rejected countless times), and in London many people don’t drive and don’t have a driving licence.

[akira2501]

> TfL’s ticketing system isn’t outsourced

The operation of it? Or the development of it? I'm seeing information that conflicts with this statement.

> and in London many people don’t drive and don’t have a driving licence.

My presumptions are rooted in the USA. For those that don't drive having a state ID card is still quite common. These always have barcodes on the back which would make them useful in POS like applications. You'll need a photo ID to cash a check, buy tobacco or alcohol, or when applying for most jobs. It's unusual here to not have one.

Is that also the case in the UK? Is there no similar system or demand for ID? Would those using it in this free application be less likely to have one?

[avianlyric]

> The operation of it? Or the development of it? I'm seeing information that conflicts with this statement.

Both, although it’s a little more nuanced than that. The original oyster system was bought in from a company called Cubic, and Cubic still provide all the physical gates and readers on the TfL system. But the newer contactless/Tap-to-Pay system was developed in-house by TfL, and the old oyster system has been mostly migrated onto the ticketing system.

However TfL license the new system to Cubic, who then resell it to other Transit systems around the world.

But for London, both the development and operations of the ticketing system is managed in-house (they obviously contract out parts of that work, as TfL probably shouldn’t be in the business of designing, manufacturing and performing major refits of their physical barriers themselves etc)

> Is that also the case in the UK? Is there no similar system or demand for ID? Would those using it in this free application be less likely to have one?

No it’s not the case in the UK. There is no national/state ID, beyond a passport (which you only need if you intend to leave the UK). With regards to photo ID for proof of age, it’s a little complicated. People use a mix of expired passports if they have one, there are some recognised “age ID” cards that you can purchase, in London, a TfL issued photo Zip Card (the free travel Oyster card for those under 16, or under 20 in full time education) is often used as a form of Photo ID.

You don’t present photo ID here for job applications, or opening banking accounts, and most people never need to “cash” a cheque (I’ve personally never cashed a cheque), because bank transfers are fast (i.e. sub 1 second), free and secure. If you need to prove your identity for a bank or job application, it’s done via a slightly arcane mix of providing a proof of address (bank statement, utility bill etc), and some kind of vaguely official photo ID with your name.

Proving your identity in the UK is a slightly circular problem, as you often need to have some kind of proof of ID, to get a document that you can use to prove your identity, which often causes headaches for people who’ve recently immigrated here (natives will have something like a child bank account opened by their parents to provide that initial proof). But there are various escape hatches that break the circular dependency, although they’re not obvious.