A Freedom of Information request to Transport for London (TfL) has revealed which London Underground lines received the most complaints about carriage cleanliness between 2023 and 2026. The Northern and Central lines together accounted for more than half of all complaints, with 307 and 251 respectively.
Dirtiest lines: Northern and Central
The Northern line topped the list with 307 complaints, followed by the Central line with 251. The Piccadilly line came third with 114 complaints, while the Bakerloo line received 107. The District line had 83 complaints, the Victoria and Jubilee lines each had 80, and the Metropolitan line had 60. The cleanest line was the Circle line, with only five complaints over the three-year period.
According to TfL, the customer service team logged over a thousand complaints about poor carriage conditions across the network during this time. TfL maintains a rigorous cleaning schedule, with most tube services receiving a deep clean at least once a month, but busier lines tend to get dirtier more quickly.
Full ranking of London Underground lines by complaints
- Northern line – 307 complaints
- Central line – 251 complaints
- Piccadilly line – 114 complaints
- Bakerloo line – 107 complaints
- District line – 83 complaints
- Victoria line – 80 complaints
- Jubilee line – 80 complaints
- Metropolitan line – 60 complaints
- Circle line – 5 complaints
The data highlights significant disparities in passenger satisfaction across the network. A TfL spokesperson said, “We are committed to providing a clean and comfortable environment for our customers. The cleaning frequency is adjusted based on usage and feedback, and we continue to invest in improving conditions across all lines.”
