Edinburgh and Lothian commuters spend more time than other Scots getting to work

A mere 7 per cent use a bicycle for their journey to work.

Workers in the area spend a mind-numbing 66 minutes a day getting to their workplaces and home again.

Morning disruption to rail services between Edinburgh and East Lothian

Part of Bank of Scotland’s “How Scotland Lives” study, the nationwide analysis conducted in partnership with YouGov, also found that despite the time and expense, over half of workers like their commute and one in 12 go as far as to say they love their journey into work.

However, commuting clearly divides opinion, with one in five workers disliking their commute and one in six saying it has become less reliable over the past five years.

Ricky Diggins, director at Bank of Scotland, said: “Commuters in Scotland are spending almost £700 a year on their journey to and from work – the equivalent of a city break to sunny Europe. While many may dream of rolling out of bed and straight into the office, the daily commute is the perfect opportunity to invest in yourself, whether that’s keeping up with the latest news, unwinding to a podcast or relaxing to some music.”

Workers in the Highlands and Islands have the best deal with the shortest, and one of the cheapest, commutes in Scotland, paying £47 each month and undertaking a daily journey of 42 minutes.

The report found the car is the most used mode of transport for commuting for all journey types in Scotland, with over half of commuters completing their journey in a private vehicle.

Almost a third walk to work, one in five take the bus, 11 per cent use the train, and just seven per cent choose to cycle.

Commuters aged 18-24 are the most likely to use public transport or walk to work, while those aged over 55 are the most likely to drive.