Transport for London has switched on a year-long trial that could end with cleaners at its Tube and bus stations working directly for the transport authority instead of a private contractor. Around 250 cleaners will take part in the TfL cleaning pilot, which gets under way today (28 September).
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, confirmed the launch, describing it as a comprehensive pilot examining how cleaning services at bus and Tube stations could be delivered in-house. The scheme was first announced by the Mayor in January and has since been developed jointly by TfL, its existing cleaning contractor Mitie, and the RMT union.
The point of the exercise is to give TfL hard evidence on what it would take to run cleaning itself – efficiently, affordably and productively. TfL currently has no specialist in-house cleaning or facilities-management operation of its own, so the trial is also intended to start building that expertise inside the organisation while the potential benefits and challenges are weighed up.
The pilot at a glance
- What: a 12-month pilot testing in-house delivery of cleaning services
- Where: Victoria line stations (with three exceptions), five bus stations, Victoria Coach Station, two British Transport Police sites and a Tube depot
- Who: around 250 cleaners seconded to TfL for the duration; the scheme was developed with Mitie and the RMT
- When: starts 28 September 2026; outcomes reviewed at the end of the trial
- Judged on: people safety, security, environmental performance, customer experience and feedback, operational indicators, quality and cost
Where the pilot will run
The trial covers a sizeable slice of the network. Every station on the Victoria line is included, with the exception of King’s Cross, Oxford Circus and Warren Street. On the buses side, it takes in the bus stations at Finsbury Park, Euston, Tottenham Hale, Vauxhall and Walthamstow bus station, along with Victoria Coach Station.
British Transport Police locations at Buckingham Palace Road and Finsbury Park are also in scope, as is Northumberland Park Depot, where the Victoria line train fleet is maintained and prepared for service.
What ‘in-house’ would mean for cleaners and passengers
For the cleaners themselves, the long-term prize is direct employment by TfL rather than working for an outside contractor. The Mayor has long championed insourcing where possible, arguing it gives staff more secure terms and a clearer line of accountability to the public body they serve. During the trial, the 250 participants will be seconded to TfL – still employed by Mitie but working under TfL’s direction – so the experiment tests the model without immediately changing anyone’s employer. TfL will also run regular surveys with those working on the pilot.
For passengers, the promise is consistency: a single organisation setting standards, handling complaints and answering for the state of platforms, concourses and bus stations. Customer experience and feedback are formal success measures for the trial, alongside people safety, security and environmental performance.
The move fits a wider direction of travel at the transport authority. London’s Route 6 is set to become the first publicly operated bus service under TfL, and the organisation has recently made fresh commitments on welfare facilities for bus drivers – both signs of a growing appetite for bringing core functions back in-house.
What they said
“I’m delighted to confirm a new comprehensive pilot scheme exploring how TfL could deliver cleaning services in-house will begin this week. I’ve long championed insourcing where possible, and that of course includes our hard working and essential cleaning staff.”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
Mr Khan added that he was pleased TfL was taking “this important step both for customers and for the dedicated cleaning colleagues who help keep London moving”, and thanked the RMT for its “work and invaluable input”, saying it supports his aim of building a fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.
“We look forward to commencing this 12-month cleaning pilot, which will help us understand the necessary steps that could allow these services to be delivered in-house. We have worked hard with Mitie and the RMT to progress the pilot to this point and I’d like to thank them for their commitment and focus.”
Josh Crompton, Senior Delivery Lead for the Cleaning Pilot, TfL
“We welcome the Mayor’s support for insourcing and the launch of this pilot project. RMT will be fully involved and working with TfL throughout to make sure that it succeeds. That way, the Mayor of London can help lead the way in delivering the government’s vision of the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation.”
Eddie Dempsey, RMT General Secretary
What happens next
At the end of the 12 months, TfL will review the outcomes against its success criteria and determine the next steps. If the evidence stacks up, the pilot could pave the way for one of the most significant insourcing moves in the transport authority’s history – and a template for how other contracted-out services might follow.
