Transport for London (TfL) has today (Thursday 8 January) announced the award of a five-year contract for the provision of cleaning and associated services to Mitie.

The contract covers the cleaning of trains, Tube and bus stations, as well as TfL head office locations, the London Transport Museum and waste collection at City Hall.

Under this new contract, Mitie will deliver intelligence-led, data-driven cleaning services, waste management and pest control across the TfL network, with a team of more than 2,000 colleagues. Mitie will establish a dedicated TfL Cleaning Centre of Excellence in London, using real-time data monitoring and trialling new technologies to enhance efficiency and productivity. Additionally, a 24/7 specialist team will address ongoing challenges TfL faces with graffiti across its fleet.

Central to this contract is a strong focus on colleague welfare, including fair pay, pay progression, and secure working hours. Reflecting a commitment to fair work and employment stability, TfL and Mitie will ensure that all colleagues receive at least the London Living Wage, enhanced sick pay, and comprehensive safety and training measures, as well as the Living Hours standard minimum working hours contracts.

Mitie will also offer additional industry-leading benefits, including free life assurance, a multi-language 24/7 online GP service, and an Employee Assistance Programme that provides practical and mental wellbeing support for colleagues and their immediate families. As with TfL’s previous cleaning contract, the Low-Paid Transport Workers’ Concession, which provides free travel on the TfL network, will also be provided to workers who are paid no more than 10 per cent above the London Living Wage.

The new contractors Equality and Diversity plan, and Strategic Labour needs and Training plan, will be tracked throughout the contract term. Annually, £400,000 will be invested in social enterprise initiatives, creating apprenticeships and offering employment opportunities to underrepresented groups across London. Mitie will also support TfL’s wider sustainability goals, helping to achieve net-zero carbon across operations by 2030.

Now the contract has been awarded, TfL will be working with Mitie and Trade Union partners on a comprehensive pilot in order to understand the necessary steps to deliver these services in-house in an efficient, affordable and productive manner.

TfL does not currently specialise in cleaning, facilities management and associated services so the pilot will help build internal expertise while assessing the benefits that insourcing can deliver. Although there is much detail to work through, TfL will be looking at suitable scope, locations and success criteria as part of the pilot design - which will cover aspects like trains, depots and head office buildings - to ensure TfL’s requirements are comprehensively understood. Success criteria are likely to encompass impacts on safety, security, environmental, Customer Satisfaction Survey scores and other operational indicators, as well as quality and cost.

Patrick Doig, Director of Group Procurement and Contracts at TfL, said:

“Following a competitive tendering process, we’re delighted to award Mitie a new five-year contract for the provision of cleaning and associated services on TfL’s services. In addition, to better understand how we could deliver affordable cleaning services in-house, we plan to work with the successful bidder on a comprehensive pilot. We will now be working closely with Mitie and our Trade Union partners to work through the detail of this pilot, and will provide more details in due course as these discussions progress.”

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

“I’m delighted that TfL has committed to a comprehensive pilot exploring how they could deliver affordable cleaning services in-house, as 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, as we continue working to build a fairer and more prosperous London for everyone.”

Jason Towse, Managing Director for Business Services at Mitie said:

“We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with TfL and play an increasingly active role in keeping London moving, which aligns with our belief in creating better places and thriving communities.  As a daily user of London's transport network, I am proud that our dedicated cleaning and hygiene teams will delivering innovative, data-led services, that help the network run safely and smoothly. Alongside better benefits for our colleagues, this contract is a demonstration of Mitie’s commitments to providing apprenticeships and partnering with social enterprises allowing London’s communities and commuters to benefit too."

This contract builds on the longstanding partnership between Mitie and TfL, following the successful delivery of security services since 2017, and more recently, Engineering Maintenance support across TfL's key head office locations, major transport hubs, and the London Transport Museum.

As the UKs leading cleaning and facilities management provider, Mitie employs over 25,000 cleaning technicians across the country and supports iconic London locations such as Heathrow Airport, Network Rail and Imperial College London. With its scale and expertise, Mitie provides colleagues with tailored training, clear pathways for career progression and access to the latest cleaning technologies, all while delivering exceptional service and value for customers.

Notes to editors

• The new contract will go live on 1 April 2026, and replaces the previous successful outsourced contract awarded in 2017.
• Since 2021, TfL has completed a number of reviews on the delivery model for the provision of cleaning services with further work being undertaken recently in parallel with the ongoing procurement process.
• TfL works hard to ensure its transport network remains a pleasant environment for its customers by performing both planned and reactive maintenance to its assets. Any graffiti, deemed offensive or otherwise, is urgently removed by its maintenance team. 
• TfL has a dedicated Supplier Skill programme, which works with TfL's suppliers to facilitate the creation of skills and employment opportunities, such as apprenticeships for new or existing employees. Since 2009, TfL, its suppliers and the London Transport Museum, have employed more than 7,600 apprentices. For more information visit Supplier skills - Transport for London
• Welfare commitments demonstrated in this contract build on Mitie’s accreditation by the Good Business Charter, which recognises its dedication to fairness, sustainability, and responsible business practices. Mitie is also investing in the safety of both TfL and Mitie colleagues through the Mitie Safer Communities initiative, supplying 5,000 WalkSafePro licences and around the clock response service. This service will offer real-time support by connecting colleagues directly to Mitie's World Class Intelligence Security Operations Centre, where a team is available to escalate issues and provide immediate assistance.
• The contract will support TfL's Environmental Plan, which includes commitments to achieve net-zero carbon across operations by 2030 and a circular economy to eliminate waste by 2050. Mitie will also support wider sustainability commitments, such as avoiding single-use plastics, implementing effective water management practices, preventing pollution, and using net-zero emission vehicles.
• Social enterprise investment through the contract includes funding a data analyst placement annually to support neurodiversity and creating new roles for London's homeless population. To ensure the workforce is equipped to support both colleagues and the public, 25 new mental health first aiders and 25 inclusion allies will be trained every year. Throughout the contract's duration, over 100 apprenticeships will be created, allowing colleagues to earn while they learn.

About Mitie: The Future of High Performing Places

Founded in 1987, Mitie employs 84,000 colleagues and is the leading technology-led Facilities Management, Transformation and Compliance company in the UK. We are a trusted partner to around 3,000 customers across the public and private sectors, working with them to transform their built estates, and the lived experience for their colleagues and customers, as well as providing data-driven insights to inform better decision-making.

In each of our core services of engineering (hard services) and security and hygiene (soft services) we hold market leadership positions. We also deliver transformational projects in the areas of power and grid connections, building fit outs & modernisation, decarbonisation, fire safety & security and telecoms infrastructure, alongside compliance capabilities in fire safety & security and environmental services. Our sector expertise includes central government, critical national infrastructure, defence, financial services, healthcare & life sciences, local government & education, retail & logistics, manufacturing & media and transport & aviation.

We hold industry-leading ESG credentials, including a place on the CDP Climate change A List, and we have received multiple awards including Best Low Carbon Solution and Net Zero Carbon Strategy of the year. We have validated science-based targets that support our ambitions to reach Net Zero. We have been recognised as a UK Top Employer for the seventh consecutive year and Most Admired Company in the Support Services sector. We are also ranked 16th in the Top 100 Apprenticeship employers and tenth in the Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers list. Find out more at www.mitie.com