The high cost of purchasing property in London has been well documented as one of the reasons for ‘key workers’ such as teachers and nurses leaving the capital, but a new survey finds that the stress of travelling by rail has led many commuters to consider relocating too.

The survey, undertaken by culture change specialists Managing the Service Business reports that 31 per cent of the 1104 respondents, all of whom regularly use public transport in London have contemplated leaving their city-based jobs for positions elsewhere. A further 28 per cent have, perhaps unsurprisingly given the widely-reported disruption, considered using another form of transport. The recent industrial action on London’s rail network affected 44 per cent of respondents, and an estimated average of 15 hours of working time were lost per person.

The drop in productivity is estimated to have cost businesses in London £38.5 million.