Tuesday 14 January

Something to stress about

Some years, ago, at an easterly port (Harwich, I believe), not far from where I live, there were protests against the live export of animals, particularly veal calves. I was reminded of the appalling images of these wretched animals, crammed into overcrowded, unheated, filthy crates the other evening when I was trying to board a First Great Eastern train home after a day's work. A fellow commuter, his face becoming ever-more puce and sweaty as he squeezed himself into a non-existent space, declared: "They wouldn't treat cattle like this!"

WHO IS JON YUILL?

Elected: Jon Yuill was voted BBC News Online's rail commuters' champion by users of the site Voice: His role is to speak up for the beleaguered commuter Commute: Married with three children, Jon commutes by train between Witham (Essex) and London

They do, of course, but that doesn't make it any better for us. Now, the official rail passenger watchdog is going to investigate the ill-effects of commuting by rail, in particular, the problems with stress.

I've seen a fellow commuter have a heart attack on a train, and it's not a pretty sight. After making the poor chap comfortable, I sat down to contemplate how long before it would be my turn.

There are many reasons why commuting by train can be beneficial: you can read a paper, study for an exam, use your laptop. But when carriages are crammed full, tensions run high. Feet are trodden on; personal space invaded. Slights - real or imagined - turn into full-scale vendettas. For many, it seems the most stressful part of the working day isn't the work itself, it's simply getting there.

According to research, commuters suffer more from health problems - many of them mental - than other workers. Funny that. My non-commuting friends often say I must be mad to do it.

So, what solutions are there to overcrowding? More trains, I hear you say. Longer trains even. Err... don't hold your breath. One solution put forward was to remove seats on peak time trains. Why not put some straw down too? And a water trough? It doesn't help, of course, that fines to the operating companies for running short trains are often less punitive than the expense of running longer ones or repairing knackered rolling stock.

So next time you tuck in to a nice bit of veal and feel guilty, remember it probably had a less stressful time getting to the abattoir than you did getting to work.

From Andrew, UK
Contrary to your suggestion, cattle do in fact have it better - conditions are set down in law. No such laws apply to the transport of humans.

From Katie Newton, UK
I find the way we are all crammed onto trains frightening. With the number of people in each carriage there isn't enough air and I have actually fainted on one occaision.

From South West Trains commuter
How about the train companies doing something radical: instead of "meet the management days" or turning comfortable waiting rooms into "The Lemon Tree restaurant" what if they were to run clean, modern trains on time. ie. cut the garnish and give us the main course.

From Tony Tarrant, UK
Only 48 minutes of lateness so far, Jon? Less than two weeks into 2003, my Thames Trains journeys into Paddington have already notched up 2� hours of lateness. My journey should only take 32 minutes each way!

Just forget it

A final note. I promised myself to keep a precise log of every journey into work this year. I have to confess, after just one week back, I've given up. My cumulative minutes of lateness are now running at 48.

With roads choked, and the Tube in a mess, it looks like stress is here to stay.

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