WALKING, cycling and taking the train to work rather than driving may help reduce the risk of early death from heart disease and cancer, new research suggests. The findings are based on a study of more than 300,000 commuters over 25 years.
Lead researcher Dr Richard Patterson of the University of Cambridge's MRC Epidemiology Unit said: "As large numbers of people begin to return to work as the Covid-19 lockdown eases, it is a good time for everyone to rethink their transport choices.
"With severe and prolonged limits in public transport capacity likely, switching to private car use would be disastrous for our health and the environment.
"Encouraging more people to walk and cycle will help limit the longer-term consequences of the pandemic."
In findings published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, scientists said that compared with those travelling by car, people who cycled to work had an overall 20 per cent reduced rate of early death.
This broke down as a 24 per cent reduced rate of death from heart disease, a 16 per cent reduced rate of death from cancer, and an 11 per cent reduced rate of a cancer diagnosis, compared with drivers.
Walking to work was associated with a 7 per cent reduced rate in cancer diagnosis compared with driving.
Rail commuters had a 10 per cent reduced rate of early death, a 20 per cent reduced rate of death from cardiovascular disease, and a 12 per cent reduced rate of cancer diagnosis, probably due to them walking or cycling to transit points.
Of those studied, 66 per cent drove to work, 19 per cent used public transport, 12 per cent walked and 3 per cent cycled.
