THE cost of commuting delays in Britain have increased by £2billion a year, according to a new report.

It comes just days after Network Rail, whose regional base is in Swindon, claimed delays were at their lowest for four years.

Recruitment website reed.co.uk surveyed 6,000 workers nationwide, estimating the cost to employers of delays has risen from an annual £5.7billion to £7.7billion in the past year.

It was found almost one in five workers lost at least an hour at work a week because of delays.

The figures cover all forms of transport, not just the railway network.

Dan Ferrandino, Reed.co.uk's managing director, said: "Despite some initiatives and investment of public money over the past few years, the simple fact is that commuting is getting worse, not better.

"No transport system is perfect but there is only so much employers and employees can, or should, be expected to cope with.

"Other countries seem to have overcome this issue and it is time that the UK joined them."

Meanwhile, Network Rail acknowledges that there is still plenty of room for improvement but insists delays are at their lowest in four years.

It says in the last year alone the number of passenger minutes lost to delays fell from 14.7million to 13.7million.

Network Rail deputy chief executive Iain Croucher said: "There remains much to achieve but the changes we are making are delivering results."

A similar message came from the Rail Passengers' Committee, the independent body set up to represent passengers.

Leo Taylor, the committee's deputy secretary for Western England, said: "Performance has been pretty lousy for quite some time and we are aware that this can have a huge impact on the economy. However, performance is improving.

"When a train is late it is inevitable there are going to be people whose journey to work is delayed but things are improving"

Barrie Hudson