UK: Transport for London has awarded facilities management company Mitie an outsourced cleaning contract, but at the request of Mayor Sadiq Khan is to look at bringing the services in-house in the future.
The contract running for five years from April 1 covers the cleaning of trains, Underground and bus stations, head office locations, the London Transport Museum and waste collection at City Hall. Mitie is to establish a dedicated TfL Cleaning Centre of Excellence, and use real-time data monitoring and trial new technologies to enhance efficiency. The contract incorporates waste management and pest control across the TfL network, and a 24/7 dedicated team will address graffiti across the fleet.
Announcing the contract on January 8, TfL said it will work with Mitie and trade union partners to understand how it could deliver cleaning in-house in the future. TfL said it does not currently specialise in cleaning and facilities management, so a pilot will help build internal expertise while assessing the benefits of insourcing and any impact on safety, security, environmental, customer satisfaction scores and other operational indicators, as well as on quality and cost.
Khan said ‘I have long championed insourcing where possible. I am pleased to see TfL taking this important step to explore potential benefits for customers, as well as for hardworking and dedicated cleaning colleagues.’
The decision to award the contract was criticised by the RMT union, which said cleaners would not enjoy the same terms and conditions as directly employed London Underground staff. General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said ‘Labour has promised the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation, and it is now time for a Labour Mayor to take Tube cleaners back in house without delay’.
