Transport for London has revealed its cleaning regime for the Underground network, as fears a bedbug outbreak rampant in Paris could make its way to the UK grow.
Paris has declared war on the blood-sucking insects, which have been spotted on public transport, cinema seats, and in hotels and holiday lets in the city.
Health experts say there is a high chance of an outbreak as the bugs could cross the Channel and reach UK cities, and once they arrive, are nearly impossible to get rid of.
Transport for London (TfL) told the Standard it is not aware of any bedbug outbreaks in London, but said it is monitoring the situation.
It assured Londoners a “rigorous” cleaning regime is in place on trains, including “daily” seat cleaning.
TfL did not immediately respond to the Standard’s request for more information on how seats are cleaned.
A spoksperson explained Tube trains undergo three different levels of cleaning.
Daily pre-service cleaning sees seats, floors and surfaces “cleaned daily on every train”, which “can include vacuuming and shampooing”.
Intermediate cleans carried out every three to four days see window ledges, windows and interior panels cleaned, as well as the driver’s cab and windscreens.
Every 21 to 28 days, Tubes undergo a full internal and external clean.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We are not aware of any [bedbug] outbreaks in London, but we will monitor our network and continue our rigorous and thorough cleaning measures which have been proven to keep both the interior and exterior of our trains clean.
“We are committed to providing a clean and safe environment on the Tube for our customers and staff, and we would like to reassure our customers that we continue to maintain our already high standards of cleanliness, so our staff and customers can use the network safely and with confidence.”
Panic about bedbugs has grown since viral footage emerged of the critters crawling on bedding and public transport seating in Paris.
And it has stoked fears of an unfettered spread as the city prepares to welcome thousands of tourists for the Olympics next year.
Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Grégoire warned “no one is safe”, while the French government was forced to set up a dedicated hotline to support despairing homeowners in 2020, and extermination costs have topped €1.4 billion (£1.2bn) over five years.
Sniffer dogs will help inspect French trains and the Paris metro for bedbugs after dozens of reports of infestations, the French transport minister said on Wednesday.
However, he said that so far not a single bedbug had been found on the metro, despite a number of traveller reports.
Eurostar has announced preventative measures to stop the spread of insects on its transport services, which run between Paris and London.
A spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers is always our number one priority and the presence of insects such as bed bugs on our trains, is extremely rare.
“The textile surfaces on all of our trains are cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis and this involves hot-water injection and extraction cleaning, which has proven highly effective in eliminating bugs.”
How are bedbugs spread?
Bed bugs are small, flat wingless insects that are a red-brown colour and tiny — only measuring less than quarter of an inch long, or 4mm to 6mm.
They hide out in furniture — beds, chairs, mattresses, headboards — as well as in the cracks and crevices of walls and floors. They cannot fly or jump but they can crawl very rapidly.
They spread by travelling from an infected area and quickly find a home, lay eggs, and spread.
They can hitch a ride in luggage, purses, backpacks, or other items placed on soft or upholstered surfaces, which is what is causing the concern.
David Cain, the founder of Bed Bugs Ltd, explained to The Independent that the creatures are already in the UK, but could increase in numbers and multiply quickly given the situation in Paris.
He said: “I have known people go on day trips to Paris, not even staying in hotels or other high-risk activities, and come back with them. Paris has been a popular link for the last six years.
“Business is already booming. I started doing this in 2005, when bedbugs were rare and obscure, but they are not any more.
“If everyone had listened to me in 2006 and started a public education campaign, this wouldn’t be happening.”
