One of the many things that has been changed by the pandemic is the way we work. Before March 2022, travelling to work five days a week was the norm for nearly 70% of UK working adults.
But post-pandemic experts believe that many workers are keen to commute just two to three days as week, and will work from home the other days of the week.
A survey by the Economics Observatory found that only one in seven expect to return to five days a week commuting. The results show that workers spent on average 29 minutes commuting and spent £5.50 per day on travel and parking costs. Over 60% commuted by private vehicle and 34% by public transport.
Five years ago we experimented with different ways of commuting in Cardiff. Travelling by car seemed to be getting more and more difficult because of congestion, and there were concerns over overcrowding. You can find out what happened then here.
With so many changes in the past two years, we decided to do it again to find out what had changed.
Starting from the same spot in Whitchurch at 8.22am on the same day, we tested how long it took at rush hour to travel the four miles into Cardiff city centre and our office, which is between the Principality Stadium and Cardiff Central train station.
These are the five different ways we got in:
- Train
- Bus
- Car
- Bike
- On foot (running)
And here, in reverse order, is when they arrived at work, and how much it has changed in five years.
Bus
Time taken: 50 minutes (11 minutes faster than in 2017)
Cost: Day to go was £3.80 (cost five years ago was £1.80 for a single)
Position: Last (again)
How did the journey go?
When I was posted to bus duty I thought I’d well and truly drawn the short straw, but I was pleasantly surprised with the experience. I caught the 25 from Whitchurch to Cardiff city centre at 8.26am and was greeted by a prompt service.
There was very little traffic heading out of Whitchurch making for a comfortable journey which took 50 minutes door to door. While as expected this placed me dead last, there were plenty of benefits to using the service.
It’s more affordable than the train, I easily got a seat - as did all of the other riders, I felt I was doing my bit for the climate by ditching the car, and I could get through some emails before I got into the office meaning I didn’t feel less productive than my more speedy colleagues.
If I was more used to this route and knew the exact time of the bus, I could most likely have shaved a few minutes off my journey too. I arrived in the office at 9.10am feeling rather pleased with my morning.
Running
Time taken: 31 minutes
Cost: £0
Position: 4th
How did the journey go?
“Running wouldn’t be my preferred way of getting into work - although I do enjoy it, I’m not the greatest morning person and throwing on my shorts and trainers before I’ve downed a coffee isn’t my ideal start to the day.
“Nevertheless, I decided to challenge myself by running from Whitchurch to the office in Cardiff city centre. Thankfully it was a bright, sunny morning (albeit cold) which made things a bit easier with such an early start.
“Like any city, running in Cardiff city centre can be frustrating at times, and my first 15 minutes or so was marked by weaving around pedestrians or stopping at traffic lights, especially as I hit the busy school traffic in Whitchurch.
“I carried on to the river and once I got onto the Taff Trail it was a much more pleasant experience. Surrounded only by the odd walker and cyclist, I was able to get into my stride a lot more and somewhat forget about the cruelty I was inflicting my legs at such an ungodly hour.
“As I confidently strode along Pontcanna Fields, I realised I may have taken things a little quickly and had to slow my pace down. Nevertheless, I managed to get to the office in just over 30 minutes, which I was pretty happy with.
“I would consider running into work in the future, with the caveat that I fortunately didn’t have to haul my backpack in on my back today. I’m not someone who’d willingly get up and go to the gym at the crack of dawn, but getting my exercise in before work definitely sets you up well for the day. My muscles might disagree in about three hours though.”
Train
Time taken: 28 minutes (four minutes faster than 2017)
Cost: £3.40 for a single (up from £2.80 for a single)
Position: 3rd (2nd in 2017)
How did the journey go?
Google Maps predicted an 11-minute walk to Llandaf train station, but Ryan and I ran it in less than five (to be honest he was coasting in my slipstream). My single ticket cost £3.40 — 60p more than in 2017. A return journey would have been £4.40.
Unfortunately, I had to wait eight minutes for the Cardiff Central-bound train to leave the station at 8.36am, having just missed the 8.26am one. There was no one else on my platform when I arrived, but it gradually became busier as nine passengers came over the walkway.
The train came in on time. No seats were available as a few dozen people travelled in the small carriage. I wouldn't say we had to cram in but it was certainly cosy, so I was glad to be among the roughly 25% of passengers wearing a mask. Especially because one commuter coughed energetically and relentlessly until her stop at Queen Street. As far as I could see, the airborne elephant in the train didn't prompt any of my fellow travellers to reach into their pocket for a mask, though I did notice a few perturbed expressions. Perhaps that was just the creeping desolation of the nine-to-five.
Most passengers got off at Queen Street, allowing me to get a seat. The train, which had plug points and heating, got into Cardiff Central at 8.48am — two minutes early. I rushed across the ticket barrier and Central Square only to see I'd been beaten by Cathy and Ffion.
Without that eight-minute wait at the start, I think victory could have been mine. It was, at least, an improvement on the 32-minute train journey in our previous experiment. Despite the persistent cough in the carriage, the train came through as a decent option for the commute.
Car
Time taken: 25 mins. It was 36 minutes in 2017 although part of this difference is in where we parked five years ago.
Cost: 4 Miles. Approx 80p .
Position: 2nd (4th in 2017)
How did the journey go?
We are all guilty of using our cars more than we should, and I am no exception to that. In the past, I am willing to admit, that I have been known to jump in rather than face the rainy commute on foot.
But almost every time, without fail, I have found it takes far longer than anticipated - especially once you factor parking into the equation.
So as we set off, while I knew it was unlikely I would come last (I have had enough experience with buses to know their unpredictability) I wasn’t holding out hope that I would be first.
The journey started off fine. Despite it being school drop-off time, my journey through Whitchurch village went fairly smoothly. A few traffic lights aside, with no particularly heavy queues, I felt as though I was off to a good start.
It was a bitterly cold morning and I have to say I did not envy my colleagues waiting at bus and train stops - and even more so those cycling and running.
As I approached the A470 roundabout that leads on to North Road and the Gabalfa fly-over I was anticipating traffic, and yet, I was pleasantly surprised. I have to say, the roads were much clearer than I expected and I made my way past Talybont University Halls down to where the road meets the Kingsway with almost no trouble.
There was a slight build-up at the lights here but nothing major. With Castle Street now once again open to private vehicles I was able to make my way along the Castle with no problems. When I lived in Roath several years ago and would drive along Castle Street I remember it being bumper to bumper so was surprised to see a fairly clear route. I was unsure as to whether this was a by-product of less commuters due to the pandemic, or a change in how people travel, nevertheless the stretch seemed to be cleared much faster.
With changes to how Westgate Street now operates, private vehicles can no longer travel to the end (where the road meets the Prince of Wales) due to a bus gate. With my phone navigation taking this into account I was directed through Riverside and along Fitzhamon Embankment. Had I not been afforded the luxury of parking in the office today I would have parked along here as it is less than a five minute walk from the Media Wales building - but would have cost me upward of £8 for the entire day.
I finally arrived at the office 25 minutes after setting off, and my biker colleague was already there, ready and waiting. I should caveat this time with the fact that I did pull over for a minute or two to record a video update, so I’d say it took me around 23 minutes in total.
Cycling
Time taken: 21 mins
Cost: £0
Position: 1st (again)
How did the journey go?
"Before lockdown this was always my preferred way of getting to the office. The benefits are plentiful - it is convenient, you don't have to rely on a timetable, or another form of transport turning up late, and it takes you straight to the office. Even the Welsh weather hasn't put me off.
"It is definitely not the most glamorous way of getting in, but as long as you remember to pack your change of clothes, there are changing facilities, and it is worth it when you work out how much money is saved every year.
"When it is pouring down, I often question my decision to cycle, but when we were constantly working from home I did find that I missed it. Missed the exercise part, and also the beauty of commuting in through Cardiff's Bute Park where the most congestion is caused by a group of ducks crossing the path.
"We are lucky in Cardiff because we have facilities like the Taff Trail that can bring you straight into the city centre, and the new cycle path over the bridge at Castle Street makes the journey feel safer too.
"I was actually five minutes faster than five years ago, but I put that down to my new bike and, as I found out on the way home, I had the blustery wind behind me. The return journey was definitely slower, but I managed to avoid the worst of the hail showers, and was happy to see that cycling remains the quickest and one of the cheapest ways to getting to work."
