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TfL accelerates cleaning as graffiti surge strains London Underground security and fleets

Sunday, 26 October 2025 1:07AM UTC

Transport for London is ramping up 24/7 cleaning operations amidst a sharp increase in graffiti vandalism on the Central and Bakerloo lines, revealing vulnerabilities in network security and ageing train fleets that threaten service quality and passenger experience.

Transport for London (TfL) is currently engaged in a relentless 24/7 cleaning operation to combat a sharp rise in graffiti vandalism on the London Underground, particularly affecting the Central and Bakerloo lines. In recent months, TfL teams have been removing thousands of graffiti tags weekly—over 1,000 on the Bakerloo line and more than 2,000 on the Central line. The increase has been so pronounced that it amounts to roughly one piece of graffiti being cleaned every 11 minutes across these lines.

This surge in vandalism is predominantly seen as tagging—a quick form of graffiti where vandals spray-paint their signature or emblem across train carriages. The visual impact has sparked considerable public outcry, with passengers and social media users describing the state of the trains in stark terms, some likening it to a "horror film set." Calls from the public for harsher penalties for offenders, including heavier fines, imprisonment, or community service involving carriage cleaning, have been vocal.

TfL attributes the rise in graffiti partly to the absence of onboard CCTV cameras on the Bakerloo and Central lines, which leaves these trains vulnerable to attacks. Compounding the issue is a shortage of available trains on these routes, as many are aging models undergoing upgrades or replacements. This shortage restricts TfL’s ability to withdraw vandalised trains from service immediately for cleaning, as removing vehicles would disrupt service, particularly during peak hours.

A spokesperson for TfL explained that while previously they could remove trains from circulation the moment they were vandalised to facilitate quicker cleaning, the dwindling number of operational trains now makes this approach unfeasible without negatively impacting service reliability. To address the problem, TfL has implemented an accelerated cleaning programme that operates around the clock to swiftly remove graffiti and maintain the network’s appearance.

The transport body emphasises that this situation underscores the urgent need to secure investment for the Tube network. Replacement and upgrade of the oldest train fleets are central to improving operational flexibility and ensuring a high-quality, world-class transport experience for both Londoners and visitors alike. The ongoing efforts highlight the challenges TfL faces balancing maintenance, security, and service provision in one of the world's busiest metro systems.

This spike in graffiti and the resultant operational challenges also reflect broader concerns about infrastructure ageing and the need for enhanced security measures across urban transit networks. The London Underground’s experience serves as a reminder of how vandalism can have cascading effects on service quality, passenger experience, and maintenance logistics, necessitating coordinated responses encompassing enforcement, community engagement, and infrastructure investment.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] MyLondon, ^[2] Evening Standard
Paragraph 2 – ^[1] MyLondon, ^[2] Evening Standard
Paragraph 3 – ^[2] Evening Standard, ^[3] BBC
Paragraph 4 – ^[1] MyLondon, ^[3] BBC, ^[4] BBC
Paragraph 5 – ^[1] MyLondon, ^[2] Evening Standard
Paragraph 6 – ^[2] Evening Standard, ^[3] BBC, ^[6] London World

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.mylondon.news/news/transport/two-london-underground-lines-tfl-32718022 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tube-graffiti-epidemic-trains-cleaned-tfl-andy-lord-london-underground-b1232414.html - Transport for London (TfL) has reported a significant increase in graffiti on the London Underground, particularly on the Central and Bakerloo lines. In the past two months, over 23,000 pieces of graffiti have been removed, averaging one every 11 minutes. The Bakerloo line has seen more than 1,000 tags removed weekly, while the Central line has over 2,000 removed each week. The surge in vandalism is partly attributed to the lack of onboard CCTV on these lines, making them more susceptible to graffiti attacks. TfL has implemented an accelerated cleaning programme, operating 24/7 to address the issue. However, the challenge is compounded by a shortage of trains on these lines, as many are being upgraded or are the oldest in the fleet, leading to difficulties in withdrawing trains from service for cleaning without impacting service schedules. The problem has been exacerbated by a shortage of trains on the Bakerloo and Central lines – two of the oldest fleets on the Underground. This means that trains cannot be taken out of service to be cleaned, as this would result in delays and congestion, especially during peak hours. A TfL spokesperson said: “We have deployed an accelerated cleaning programme in response to the specific increase in graffiti on the Central and Bakerloo lines. Teams are removing graffiti 24/7, and are currently removing more than 1,000 tags per week on the Bakerloo line and more than 2,000 on the Central line. We previously withdrew trains from service as soon as they had been vandalised, but with reduced availability due to ageing trains this isn’t always possible without impacting services. This is why we are working to secure investment in the Tube network, to replace and upgrade trains and ensure we can deliver the world-class transport network that Londoners and visitors deserve and expect.”
https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/c939ygryv5go - Transport for London (TfL) has reported a significant increase in graffiti on the London Underground, particularly on the Central and Bakerloo lines. In the past two months, over 23,000 pieces of graffiti have been removed, averaging one every 11 minutes. The Bakerloo line has seen more than 1,000 tags removed weekly, while the Central line has over 2,000 removed each week. The surge in vandalism is partly attributed to the lack of onboard CCTV on these lines, making them more susceptible to graffiti attacks. TfL has implemented an accelerated cleaning programme, operating 24/7 to address the issue. However, the challenge is compounded by a shortage of trains on these lines, as many are being upgraded or are the oldest in the fleet, leading to difficulties in withdrawing trains from service for cleaning without impacting service schedules. The problem has been exacerbated by a shortage of trains on the Bakerloo and Central lines – two of the oldest fleets on the Underground. This means that trains cannot be taken out of service to be cleaned, as this would result in delays and congestion, especially during peak hours. A TfL spokesperson said: “We have deployed an accelerated cleaning programme in response to the specific increase in graffiti on the Central and Bakerloo lines. Teams are removing graffiti 24/7, and are currently removing more than 1,000 tags per week on the Bakerloo line and more than 2,000 on the Central line. We previously withdrew trains from service as soon as they had been vandalised, but with reduced availability due to ageing trains this isn’t always possible without impacting services. This is why we are working to secure investment in the Tube network, to replace and upgrade trains and ensure we can deliver the world-class transport network that Londoners and visitors deserve and expect.”
https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/c62j12wp00jo - Transport for London (TfL) has reported a significant increase in graffiti on the London Underground, particularly on the Central and Bakerloo lines. In the past two months, over 23,000 pieces of graffiti have been removed, averaging one every 11 minutes. The Bakerloo line has seen more than 1,000 tags removed weekly, while the Central line has over 2,000 removed each week. The surge in vandalism is partly attributed to the lack of onboard CCTV on these lines, making them more susceptible to graffiti attacks. TfL has implemented an accelerated cleaning programme, operating 24/7 to address the issue. However, the challenge is compounded by a shortage of trains on these lines, as many are being upgraded or are the oldest in the fleet, leading to difficulties in withdrawing trains from service for cleaning without impacting service schedules. The problem has been exacerbated by a shortage of trains on the Bakerloo and Central lines – two of the oldest fleets on the Underground. This means that trains cannot be taken out of service to be cleaned, as this would result in delays and congestion, especially during peak hours. A TfL spokesperson said: “We have deployed an accelerated cleaning programme in response to the specific increase in graffiti on the Central and Bakerloo lines. Teams are removing graffiti 24/7, and are currently removing more than 1,000 tags per week on the Bakerloo line and more than 2,000 on the Central line. We previously withdrew trains from service as soon as they had been vandalised, but with reduced availability due to ageing trains this isn’t always possible without impacting services. This is why we are working to secure investment in the Tube network, to replace and upgrade trains and ensure we can deliver the world-class transport network that Londoners and visitors deserve and expect.”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tube-graffiti-epidemic-prizes-piccadilly-line-central-bakerloo-tfl-depot-cleaners-b1233624.html - Transport for London (TfL) has reported a significant increase in graffiti on the London Underground, particularly on the Central and Bakerloo lines. In the past two months, over 23,000 pieces of graffiti have been removed, averaging one every 11 minutes. The Bakerloo line has seen more than 1,000 tags removed weekly, while the Central line has over 2,000 removed each week. The surge in vandalism is partly attributed to the lack of onboard CCTV on these lines, making them more susceptible to graffiti attacks. TfL has implemented an accelerated cleaning programme, operating 24/7 to address the issue. However, the challenge is compounded by a shortage of trains on these lines, as many are being upgraded or are the oldest in the fleet, leading to difficulties in withdrawing trains from service for cleaning without impacting service schedules. The problem has been exacerbated by a shortage of trains on the Bakerloo and Central lines – two of the oldest fleets on the Underground. This means that trains cannot be taken out of service to be cleaned, as this would result in delays and congestion, especially during peak hours. A TfL spokesperson said: “We have deployed an accelerated cleaning programme in response to the specific increase in graffiti on the Central and Bakerloo lines. Teams are removing graffiti 24/7, and are currently removing more than 1,000 tags per week on the Bakerloo line and more than 2,000 on the Central line. We previously withdrew trains from service as soon as they had been vandalised, but with reduced availability due to ageing trains this isn’t always possible without impacting services. This is why we are working to secure investment in the Tube network, to replace and upgrade trains and ensure we can deliver the world-class transport network that Londoners and visitors deserve and expect.”
https://www.londonworld.com/news/graffiti-bakerloo-line-london-tfl-5179670 - Transport for London (TfL) has reported a significant increase in graffiti on the London Underground, particularly on the Central and Bakerloo lines. In the past two months, over 23,000 pieces of graffiti have been removed, averaging one every 11 minutes. The Bakerloo line has seen more than 1,000 tags removed weekly, while the Central line has over 2,000 removed each week. The surge in vandalism is partly attributed to the lack of onboard CCTV on these lines, making them more susceptible to graffiti attacks. TfL has implemented an accelerated cleaning programme, operating 24/7 to address the issue. However, the challenge is compounded by a shortage of trains on these lines, as many are being upgraded or are the oldest in the fleet, leading to difficulties in withdrawing trains from service for cleaning without impacting service schedules. The problem has been exacerbated by a shortage of trains on the Bakerloo and Central lines – two of the oldest fleets on the Underground. This means that trains cannot be taken out of service to be cleaned, as this would result in delays and congestion, especially during peak hours. A TfL spokesperson said: “We have deployed an accelerated cleaning programme in response to the specific increase in graffiti on the Central and Bakerloo lines. Teams are removing graffiti 24/7, and are currently removing more than 1,000 tags per week on the Bakerloo line and more than 2,000 on the Central line. We previously withdrew trains from service as soon as they had been vandalised, but with reduced availability due to ageing trains this isn’t always possible without impacting services. This is why we are working to secure investment in the Tube network, to replace and upgrade trains and ensure we can deliver the world-class transport network that Londoners and visitors deserve and expect.”

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The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

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Score: 3

Notes: The content appears to be heavily recycled, with multiple mentions of the same publication date (April 29, 2025) and widespread republishing across outlets, raising concerns about originality. The information is based on recent data (June 2025), but lacks fresh developments or unique insights. The recirculation of the same material diminishes the perceived freshness, despite updates to certain figures.

Transport for London
Graffiti vandalism
London Underground