In order to commute to work, it costs both time and money. In central London, many opt to use public transport. However, despite having a highly connected infrastructure in London, workers spend more time commuting to work in London than any other part of the country. It’s Welsh workers that have the average shortest commute at 41 minutes.
The UK average is 52.6 minutes, but London office workers travel an average of 78 minutes.
As we have said in our discussion on what to look for in a London office; transport, infrastructure and commuting patterns of your employees should play a key factor if they spend much time in the office. Accessibility is something that affects every single working day after all.
£266m worth of working time is lost every single day to travel. This is a strong signal that employing more flexible working practices can lead to huge savings, not to mention a lower carbon footprint.
Perhaps above all, it would save workers (and I speak from experience on this one) from sardine can style tube journeys. Livestock regulations dictate higher legal standards for transporting sheep than the conditions London’s populace experiences on the tube.
During summer, temperatures reach levels that would deem travel illegal for our farmyard friends, but apparently not for us. While the powers that be do suggest that one should carry bottled water at all times while travelling around London, I personally feel that no level of hydration would really improve my outlook of the system!
For more essential tips and advice, have a look at The Knowledge - and for answers to your questions about London office space, check out our FAQs.
Ian Kitchener
Ian has advised Central London office occupiers for over 20 years - fighting their corner and making sure they get a great office on the best terms. He has a diverse client following, often working with creative companies.
