THE TUC says inflexible bosses are one reason why workers are facing longer commutes.

It said getting to and from work now took commuters in the North-East an extra seven minutes a day compared with a decade ago.

That equated to an extra 26 hours a year.

The TUC criticised employers for not offering flexible and home working and said wages in real terms were falling, while property prices had soared, making it hard to move closer to work.

It also said low Government spending on transport infrastructure was another factor in longer journeys.

TUC Regional Secretary for the North-East Beth Farhat said:

“Commutes should be getting shorter, but inflexible bosses and our cash-starved transport system mean we’re wasting more time getting to work.

“It doesn’t have to be like this. Home working and less rigid hours would take pressure off road and rail. And serious government investment could give us a transport network that’s up to the job.”

Journeys were also taking an average of four minutes longer in Yorkshire, the TUC said, compared with a decade ago.