Please can you tell me how often the inside of Abellio busses on TFL route 3 (Crystal Palace to Whitehall) are cleaned? In particular I’d like to know how often and by what’s means seats are cleaned/washed, hand rails are disinfected and floors mopped clean? I was recently this bus route when another customer was wiping her feet on the seat and spitting both on the floor and at the window. Although informing the driver he did nothing and I am concerned of potential infection.

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TfL Ref: FOI-3534-1920

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 14 February 2020.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm we do hold the information you require. You asked:

Please can you tell me how often the inside of Abellio busses on TFL route 3 (Crystal Palace to Whitehall) are cleaned? In particular I’d like to know how often and by what’s means seats are cleaned/washed, hand rails are disinfected and floors mopped clean?

All buses in the fleet are cleaned every day when they come out of service. Additionally they undergo a deep clean every four weeks which would normally include wiping down surfaces and cleaning the floor. If there are signs of heavier dirt they are cleaned more frequently.

Drivers conduct a walk around check of their vehicles before taking them into service at the start of their shift and can report seats or other part of the vehicles that might be damaged or require attention. This might entail seat covers being removed or replaced. TfL also checks the cleanliness of the vehicles through customer experience surveys and feedbacks any significant issues to the operators concerned so they act on them.  

We have passed your complaint onto the bus operator for their attention.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Eva Hextall

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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