Londoners have more two-hour commutes than anywhere in Europe
Londoners have more two-hour commutes on average than anywhere else in Europe, according to a new survey.
A study from Israeli app Moovit found that five per cent of all London and South East commutes are two hours or longer.
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This was more than anywhere else in Europe and second-most in the world, behind only Los Angeles.
The survey found that the average trip time for Lononders was 45 minutes, putting it just ahead of Birmingham and Manchester, with 44 and 43 minutes respectively.
Richard Freeston-Clough, from advocacy group London TravelWatch, said London’s long commute times were likely a result of an affordable housing shortage.
“I think the main reason for the long commutes is that the high cost of housing forces people working in London further out into commuter towns where costs are often lower,” he said.
“People are attracted to London because of the range of jobs available and the pay attached to them.”
Adam Tyndall, transport programme director at business lobby group London First, said the survey showed the importance of upgrading the capital’s transport infrastructure.
He said: “Continuing to modernise the Tube and investing in major projects like Crossrail and Crossrail 2 will both unlock new housing development and reduce congestion and delays on the transport network.”
The survey results come after the Office of Rail and Road released its annual passenger figures yesterday, revealing London Waterloo was the country’s busiest train station.
There was 94.2m entries and exits at Waterloo in 2018-19, was the lowest number of passenger journeys for the station since 2011-12 and represents a 162,000 decline from 2017-18.
London Victoria, London Liverpool Street Station and London Bridge were the second, third and fourth busiest in the country, with 74.7m, 69.5m and 61.3m entries and exits respectively.
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The only non-London station in the top 10 was Birmingham New Street in fifth place, which had 47.9m passenger journeys.
Euston, Stratford, Paddington, St Pancras International and Kings Cross rounded out the top 10 spots.