It’s official: This is how long it takes for a London commuter to get angry
As stations get busier and busier, and with engineering works often playing havoc with the trains, most of us want to make our journeys as short as possible.
Not to mention, the average commute is about an hour long according to ONS stats, with many working in the capital travelling for longer.
Now a survey out this week from YouGov, of 1,513 Londoners has revealed just how long they are willing to wait for the Underground… and how quickly it takes for them to become impatient.
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Some 31 per cent of respondents think that any longer than five minutes is too long to wait for a train. Others are more impatient though, as 13 per cent of Tube users cannot bear to wait any longer than three minutes.
On the other hand, 13 per cent evidently take a more relaxed approach to the daily commute. This lot will happily wait up to 10 minutes before they become frustrated.
(Source: YouGov)
The rest of YouGov’s survey shows a similar drive for efficiency, as Londoners do everything they can to make their journey as swift as possible. When waiting on the platform, over half of all respondents state that they calculate which part of the train will be nearest the exit at their destination, so as to make the speediest getaway from the Tube.
Yet one place where patience still wins out is on the escalators. Those who prefer to stand and wait are in the majority, with 40 per cent of respondents. Close behind, 32 per cent walk up the escalator, while 26 per cent are as likely to do one as the other.
Last year, it was revealed that nearly all of the country’s busiest stations were in London, while Department for Transport figures in July found many services were considerably over capacity.
No surprise then that Londoners are keen to escape as soon as possible.
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