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Daily commute is 47 minutes of hell for UK motorists

New research reveals UK motorists spend the equivalent of 8 days a year* on the daily commute to work, and for most it’s making their blood boil!

Car insurance expert, elephant.co.uk commissioned a survey of 3,000 UK motorists for their opinion on commuting and discovered:

• The average motorist spends 47 minutes a day commuting to and from work
• 58% have been late for work due to heavy traffic
• 72% of commuters, travel on their own to and from work
• 59% sometimes feel angry when they are commuting
• Commuters spend an average of £454 a year on fuel for the commute
• 68% of motorists would work from home if it was an option

Perhaps not surprisingly motorists in London spend the longest time driving on their commute.  In the capital, the average commute for motorists takes 28 minutes each way, or 56 minutes a day. This compares with just 40 minutes a day for motorists in the South West of England; the region with the shortest commuting time.

Nearly six out of ten motorists have been late for work due to heavy traffic on the commute.  17% said they are late several times a week, while a quarter have been in trouble for being late for work because of traffic.

But the commute isn’t just making motorists late for work, it’s also making them angry.  Six out of ten motorists admit they sometimes feel angry when commuting to work.  Once again it is motorists in London who find it most infuriating.  Seven out of ten Londoners said they sometimes feel angry on the commute.  Commuters in the North East appear to be the most chilled, only half of the people surveyed there said they get angry on the commute.

Brian Martin, managing director of elephant.co.uk, commenting on the survey results, said, “Spending an average of eight days each year driving to and from work is enough to annoy even the calmest of motorists, especially when the commute includes traffic jams, road works and discourteous road users.

“When you look at how much the commute is costing many of us on top of that, it’s enough to drive you to distraction.  But maybe we should see the commute as a chance to have some time to ourselves and prepare for work, or to wind down on the way home.”

elephant.co.uk’s research also reveals that nearly three quarters of commuters travel alone, and two thirds listen to music or the radio for company.

The average cost of fuel for the commute is £37.85 a month, or over £454 a year**.  Motorists in East Anglia are paying the most, the average cost there is £490 a year.  Those in the South West pay the least, the average cost there is £412 a year.

Although only 20% of people said they have to pay for parking when they get to work, the average cost of parking is more than double the cost of fuel.  The average weekly charge for parking is £19.98 or £1,039 a year***!  Again it is Londoners who are hardest hit.  32% of motorists there have to pay for parking and they pay the most, an eye watering £1,421 a year.

Finally elephant.co.uk asked motorists if they would prefer to work from home if that was an option.  Nearly seven out of ten said they would. 

Brian Martin, said, “Modern technology is enabling more and more people the chance to work at least some of their time from home.  It’s something we expect to see more of in the years to come.  This won’t only benefit those people who are given the option of working from home, it should also take some of the commuter traffic off the road at rush hour and make the commute less busy for all road users.”

How long does your commute take? In MINUTES:

How often are you late for work because of traffic?

Do you ever get into trouble because you are late for work due to traffic?

Do you ever listen to music or news on your commute?

How much do you think it costs in fuel each month for you to commute to and from work? In POUNDS:

Do you ever feel angry when you are commuting to or from work?

If it was an option would you like to work from home?