Researchers have discovered that commuting by car has a damaging effect on a driver’s mental health. Cycling, walking, and even travelling by public transport, by contrast, have a positive effect on wellbeing.
A study by Norwich medical school of over 17,000 commuters and 18 years of data found that car commuters were at least 13 per cent more likely to feel constantly under strain or unable to concentrate” than those who cycled or walked to work. The longer drivers spent on their daily commute, the worse their psychological wellbeing.
The findings appear to reinforce previous research suggesting that workers who cycle to work have fewer sick days.
When commuting by car was compared to public transport, a way of travelling to work that is often described as beset by overcrowding and delays, the researchers found that those using buses and trains benefited from better levels of wellbeing.
Lead researcher Adam Martin, from University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School, said: “One surprising finding was that commuters reported feeling better when travelling by public transport, compared to driving. You might think that things like disruption to services or crowds of commuters might have been a cause of considerable stress. But as buses or trains also give people time to relax, read, socialise, and there is usually an associated walk to the bus stop or railway station, it appears to cheer people up.”
The researchers believe that stress caused by delays and cancellations are offset by the face that bus and rail commuters also get time to relax, road or socialise, and even the walk – or run – to the station, and this is thought to cheer them up.
Modal mood shift
The research appears to suggest that if more of us commuted to work by bicycle, the mood of the nation would be lifted. However, there is a long way to go. Data from the 2011 Census (England and Wales) shows that 67.1 per cent of commuters use cars or vans as their usual main commute mode compared to 17.8 per cent who use public transport, 10.9 per cent who walk and just 3.1 per cent who cycle.
Cycle insurance for commuters
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