A quarter of people in the UK who drive or take public transport to work say their journey makes them stressed, according to research commissioned by social enterprise free2cycle.

The study showed that 26% of people who travel to work by car, motorbike or public transport feel stressed by their commute; which is almost three times more than people who have a more active commute such as walking or cycling (9%).

Almost one in five, or 18%, who commute by driving or public transport say their journey makes them miserable, double that of those who have a more active commute (9%).

One in ten, or 10%, of those who travel to work via public transport or driving say they are less productive as a result. Half this many active commuters (5%) felt their productivity was impacted negatively by their journey.  

Pointing to research from Totaljobs which shows that UK commuters will spend on average £135,000 over their lifetime travelling to work, the study found that 23% of those who do not walk or cycle say commuting drains their finances Meanwhile, the majority (60%) of people with a more active commute enjoy their commute and 6% say they feel an impact on the wallet.