GMB's analysis shows Tories are failing commuters - McDonald

Friday, 4 August 2017 00:01

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on Labour analysis of GMB statistics which shows by the end of current Parliament commuters driving to work will, as a collective, spend over 500 million extra hours a year getting to their place of employment compared to in 2011, said: “Work-life balance is being compromised as commuters are facing longer journeys. These findings are clear evidence that the Government’s decisions, from...Request free trial

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on Labour analysis of GMB statistics which shows by the end of current Parliament commuters driving to work will, as a collective, spend over 500 million extra hours a year getting to their place of employment compared to in 2011, said:

“Work-life balance is being compromised as commuters are facing longer journeys. These findings are clear evidence that the Government’s decisions, from not tackling the housing crisis to cuts to transport investment and infrastructure, are having a severe and detrimental effect on people’s commute to work and have created a transport crisis.

“The Tories are failing to stand up for millions of passengers and road users - fares are rising, public money is being wasted, and promised investment is not being delivered.

“Only a Labour Government will build the homes we need in the areas we need them and invest in both public transport and transport infrastructure across the country.”

Ends

Notes to editors

· Labour analysis of GMB’s press release published today (4 August 2017), shows that the average commute from home to work by car will increase from 25 to 28.5 minutes between 2011 and 2022.

· This will equate to drivers spending an average of 30 extra hours behind the wheel a year, or over 500 million hours combined for all 14 million drivers.

· Rail passengers face the longest average journeys, the average passenger will be travelling for over 68 minutes in 2022.

· Motorbike journeys will see the biggest increase in journey times of over 12 minutes.

		Car, van, minibus	Motorbike, moped, scooter	Cycle	Bus, coach	Rail	Light rail
Rounded journey times (minutes)	2011	25	22	20	37	64	48
Rounded journey times (minutes)	2016	26	27	22	39	66	48
Non-rounded change 2011-2016 (minutes)		1.6	5.8	1.5	2.1	2.1	-0.5
Average yearly change between 2011 -2016		0.32	1.16	0.3	0.42	0.42	-0.1
Non-rounded change 2011-2022 (minutes)		3.52	12.76	3.3	4.62	4.62	-1.1
Non rounded journey times in 2022 (minutes)		28.5	34.8	23.3	41.6	68.6	46.9
Individual extra hours per year in 2016*		13.9	50.1	12.8	18.2	17.9	-3.9
Individual extra hours per year in 2022*		30.51	110.59	28.60	40.04	40.04	-9.53
Number of commuters		16,490,487	175,016	819,237	1,696,452	1,443,288	920,127
Total extra hours per year in 2016*		229,875,125	8,769,672	10,457,824	30,878,419	25,839,247	-3,603,527
Total extra hours per year in 2022*		503,069,790.08	19,354,436.05	23,430,178.20	67,925,938.08	57,789,251.52	- 8,771,877.40

* Based on extra journey times twice per day, five days a week, fifty two weeks a year. These figures does not include holiday time, they represent a maximum estimate.