Average length of commute is now 51 minutes
PEOPLE in the North East are spending six minutes a day longer travelling to and from work compared to a decade ago, according to a new report.
In 2017 the average daily commute for workers in this region was 51 minutes, up from 45 minutes in 2007, adding up to an annual total of 219 hours.
The report was published by the TUC to mark the annual Commute Smart Week organised by Work Wise UK.
Its research found that rail travel took the longest. Across the UK, commuters using the train face an average journey of 2 hours and 11 minutes every day – an increase of 4 minutes on the last decade.
Meanwhile drivers spend 52 minutes on the road to work and back (up by three minutes), while bus commuters must set aside 79 minutes a day (up by seven minutes).
Finally, cyclists, at 44 minutes, and walkers, at 29 minutes, have the quickest daily journeys.
The TUC blames growing commutes on three main factors – low government spending on transport infrastructure; employers not offering flexible and home working and real wages falling while house prices have risen, making it harder for people to live close to where they work.
TUC regional secretary for the North East, Beth Farhat, said: “It’s great we’re investing in high-speed rail between some of our major cities.
“But people more often use their local buses and trains on their daily commute. These need to be upgraded too.
“Privatisation of trains and buses is a big failure. Journeys are too expensive, too slow and too unreliable.
“We should bring services back into public ownership. And cuts to public funding for bus routes should be reversed. Employers can make a difference too. Home working and flexitime can cut journeys and help avoid the rush hour. And if staff have less stressful journeys, they can focus better on their work.”
Most UK nations and regions have seen increases in commute time in the last decade, with Londoners taking the longest to get to and from work, travelling for one hour and 21 minutes each day, which is 23 minutes longer than the average across the UK.
Work Wise UK chief executive Phil Flaxton said: “Long commutes have become a part of the UK’s working culture. But the excessive time spent commuting is one of the main factors contributing to work-life balance problems.
“Not only is the time spent commuting an issue, the 9-to-5 culture, with its peak travel times, generates congestion. And the rush hours on railways, underground and road networks increase stress for commuters.”
He added: “Our message for employers is that job satisfaction can be improved, and stress levels reduced, if workers have opportunities to cut their commuting time. That could mean working from home occasionally or staggering their hours. It could also be good news for employee wellbeing and retention, with lower costs to businesses.”