The number of people spending more than 2 hours travelling to and from work has more than doubled over the past 10 years, according to the TUC. There are now nearly 3 million commuters clocking up journey times of 2 hours plus – up from 1.7 million is 2004.

On average, commuters today spend an extra 11 hours and 42 minutes every year travelling compared to 2004, according to the survey published to mark the start of Commute Smart Week and organised by Work Wise UK.

The TUC says the increase in commuting times can be blamed on a combination of reasons. The continued rise in house prices and rents has meant people are seeking better value properties further afield. Similarly, the lack of employment during the recession has seen people willing to travel further than before for a job and poor transport infrastructure means sometimes the same length journey can now take longer.

Guy Robinson, head of Residential Agency at Strutt & Parker says: “Transport will continue to be a key issue for homebuyers next year, with lots of infrastructure changes happening across the country. More and more sellers are coming to me forward planning a longer commute into work in search of more bang for their buck, especially those working in the city just a few days a week. I think employers are more flexible with working remotely than ever before, reflected in buyers now perceiving a home office in a property as essential.”

There has been an increase across the board in commuting times, with the number of people travelling over 3 hours a day up from half a million to 880,000. Women are the ones feeling it most, with a 90% rise in those commuting for more than two hours a day and a 131% rise women travelling for 3 hours or more.

Regionally, the south has seen the biggest rise in 2 hour plus commuters, with the South East reporting a 103% rise and the South West up 102%.  For those travelling 3 hours a day, the biggest rises were in Yorkshire and the Humber (98%), the South East (91%) and the West Midlands (87%).

Longer commutes can lead to a drop inlife satisfaction, says the TUC, who have called for more companies to embrace home and flexi-working to allow people to reduce commuting and save money. Along with being a popular choice among workers, it’d also mean there would be fewer and better-spaced journeys, reducing overcrowding on the roads and railways.