Here’s the definitive ranking of all the things we hate most about the Tube
From having your nose stuck in a fellow commuter's armpit to enduring the mastications of someone who thinks it's ok to scoff a burger, we're all familiar with the day-to-day, er, challenges of Tube travel.
Now hotelier Millennium has commissioned YouGov to work out what we hate the most about the London Underground – and the figures, seen exclusively by City A.M., suggest commuters' number one pet peeve is not necessarily what you might think.
While endless Tube delays come in at number nine, the most-hated factor about Tube travel turns out to be overcrowding – followed by the similarly irritating "people who don't use the space properly, eg. who don't move all the way down the carriage etc".
The cost of travel came a mere third – considering how much time London commuters spend complaining about that particular aspect of Tube travel, that's a bit of a surprise.
For five per cent of respondents, though, Tube travel is a delight – with nothing annoying them about the Tube at all at all.
Are these daily niggles inevitable? At the end of last month architect Nille Juul-Sorenson suggested if Transport for London rethinks the way it designs the Tube, commuters's experience would be less unpleasant.
"Descending underground can cause feelings of claustrophobia and stress… introducing a whole new [daylight-style] lighting scheme would be a big step in making commuters' journeys more acceptable," he said – adding that technology could one day make ticket barriers unnecessary.
"Systems [will] automatically register and charge passengers as they enter trains. This will reduce station congestion, and make the passenger experience one of smooth continuity." Which is all we ask for…
– Want more info on how the London Underground would look if the public got to decide? Here's Millennium's Tube wishlist