Commuting time

UK workers spend 21.8 million hours a day commuting to work, according to the TUC’s analysis of official statistics. This equates to £266 million-worth of potential working time. Workers spend on average 52.6 minutes commuting each day, with London workers spending longest (78 minutes a day) and workers in Wales the least time (41 minutes).

Men working full-time spend just under seven minutes longer commuting than women working full-time, while high-paid workers generally commute for longer than low-paid ones.

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, urged businesses to cut long commutes, adding that: “remote working and flexible shifts can reduce commute times, save on office space and reduce energy costs – saving money while helping staff enjoy a better work-life balance.”