Tube Lines is investing in "innovative" cleaning strategies

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union warned one in four workers at a leading contractor face being laid off in the next few months.

It called on London mayor Ken Livingstone and LU to step in and halt the 200 planned job losses by Tube Lines contractor ISS.

Tube Lines said it was "refocusing resources" for station cleaning.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said workers were "stunned and furious" when they were told their jobs may be axed.

'Safety issues'

"There is no way that levels of station and train cleanliness can be maintained on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines with a loss of 27% of the cleaning workforce," he said.

"But there are also serious safety and security issues involved in cutting cleaning staff, not least at a time when tonnes of newsprint are being dumped in stations and on trains every day.

"RMT will use every means available to stop these job cuts, but it is time for the mayor, Transport for London and London Underground to tell Tube Lines that it cannot impose this massive cut."

A Tube Lines spokesman said: "One of our contractual measures is ambience, and scores at stations on all three of our lines are at record levels.

"We are continuing to invest in innovative solutions to improve ambience, such as anti-graffiti film.