Controversial London to Leeds rail network highlights the benefits of home working
Commutes to work can be, for want of another word, a nightmare. Either you have the stress of driving, and the traffic jams, parking and congestion charges that go with it, or you have to deal with public transport.
Trains are one of the most popular forms of transport for commuters. With an increasing number of people deciding to live away from cities there has been a rise of what is known as the “extreme commuter” - passengers who spends more than three hours travelling to work each day.
The HS2
As rail transport is one of the leading ways commuters travel long distances to work, it is not uncommon for trains to be so busy, people are forced to stand up for the length of the journey. In order to counter the problem of overcrowded trains, Leeds City Council chief, Tom Riordan, wants business leader to unite on plans for a high-speed rail network that links London to Sheffield and Leeds.
The £42 billion high-speed rail link, known as the HS2, has divided public opinion in Yorkshire. According to a survey conducted by Bradford's Chamber of Commerce last month, only 27% of businesses in Bradford feel there is enough ammunition for building HS2.
“The further away you get from Leeds, the less support you get,” Tom Riordan told The Insider. “It goes from 80% support to the opposite, the further away you go. The government hasn't made the case well enough.”
The Leeds council chief bluntly reminds, if nothing is done in terms of rail infrastructure between London and Yorkshire, “we will be standing all the way to London.”
Riordan also stated the HS2 would be a “regeneration catalyst” for plans to transform the South Bank area of Leeds, which is where the new HS2 station would be built.
Opposition
Obliterate lengthy commutes by working at home
Commutes to work are of course one headache homeworkers don't have to deal with. Alongside a generation of “extreme commuters” there is also a generation of homeworkers emerging. With advancements in remote technology and cloud-based software, the number of people working at home is on the increase in the UK. According to a survey in 2011, the number of employers offering teleworking had risen by 13% since 2006.
In this sense, it's not just high-speed rail networks that will help alleviate Britain's overcrowded trains; it is also the rise of remote working.
What are your thoughts on the controversial HS2 London to Leeds rail network? Is it the way forward for Britain's commuters? Or would they be better off jumping on the contemporary home working phenomenon?