: More than a third (35%) of British workers are eyeing a move from major cities as a result of hybrid working, leading to a change of commute and an increase in demand for public transport, according to new research today.
Trainline surveyed 2,000 adults from across the UK and discovered that one in eight (12%) British workers have already relocated now that businesses have allowed them to work from home, with an additional 23% either in the process of moving or considering it. Indeed, only two out of five (42%) have completely ruled out moving away from major cities.
While driving a car (64%) continues to be the most popular method of transport, there are signs that the UK is shifting towards a more sustainable commute. A tenth (11%) of British workers use trains to commute and two out of five (39%) say they travel to work via train more often than they did before the pandemic. In contrast, 30% are now driving less.
Indeed, there is an increased demand for all modes of public transport, with 18% of British workers using a bus or subway to commute to work, and a third (32%) reporting this has increased compared to before the pandemic too.
Almost half (49%) of British workers have switched a car journey for train travel at least once in the last year because they wanted to reduce their carbon footprint. Two-thirds (64%) switched because train travel is more convenient, 37% because it’s faster, and 31% because it’s cheaper.
A benefit of using public transport, such as train travel, to commute to work is the greater flexibility on how to use this time to prepare for the day ahead. A third (34%) of British workers mentally switch off and potentially even have a nap, while a quarter (24%) choose to make a head start with work. 16% watch TV on demand, and 10% learn a new language.
Mike Hyde, Chief Data Officer at Trainline, said: “Hybrid working is here to stay and we are now seeing that it is directly correlating with long-term changes to how the British public are commuting. Our survey data suggests that with more people now travelling in from outside cities, commuting by car is becoming less common. Employees are using this flexibility offered by public transport to relax, catch up on their favourite TV show, or get a head start on their to-do list. The Trainline app makes planning your commute easy with features such as Favourites which allows you to create a personal departure board and quickly check for real-time journey updates. ”
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