Transport for London (TfL) has rejected the possibility of re-introducing self-issue for London Transport Student Photocards, University of London Union President Justine Stephens has revealed in her report to the next meeting of ULU Council. Ms Stephens and her predecessor have previously been blamed by many students for dropping the ball when self-issue was abolished in the first place.

Last October saw turmoil with turnaround times for postal photocard applications stretching into months. According to Ms Stephens TfL can now guarantee that they can process 25,000 applications a week. “[They] have invested in the hardware and staff resources to do this,” she said, adding “overall they have now doubled their resources from last year, as well as now being in possession of accurate figures.”

It is the costs involved in issuing the ‘new’ digital photocards that have caused TfL to effectively rule out the possibility of allowing student unions to issue the cards. The computer workstations required apparently cost at least £10,000 each and even then can only process 20 applications an hour.

The seventh meeting of the ULU Council, scheduled for 22nd April, will also yet more ULU elections. Three Imperial College students are standing – including former Felix Editor John Clifford for the sabbatical position of London Student Editor and ICU DPEW David Francis for Council Chair. Mr Francis appears to have radically revised his opinion of ULU over the past year having formerly been a fierce critic of the Union.