Rush hour: questions and Band 8 answers

Unfortunately, yes, almost every weekday. I have to commute to my office by half past eight, so I usually catch the train right in the middle of the morning peak. It gets ridiculously packed around eight o'clock, which isn't the most pleasant start to the day.

I tend to rely on the underground network rather than buses or taxis. Even though the platforms are crammed with commuters, the trains run every two minutes, so at least I know I won't get stuck in a gridlock on the main ring road.

To be honest, it's the sheer unpredictability of it all. You can leave plenty of time for your journey, but a minor accident or signal failure can bring the entire city to a standstill, leaving everyone stressed and running late for work.

Definitely. When I was younger, traffic only really built up around the town centre, but nowadays the bypass is bumper-to-bumper from early morning. I suppose it's because so many new housing developments have sprung up without better public transport links.

I'm a bit cynical about that, actually. While local councils are investing in cycle lanes and electric buses, car ownership keeps climbing. Unless more companies introduce flexible working hours permanently, I reckon the roads will stay just as clogged up as they are now.