Aggressive people, people talking loudly on their mobile phones, and people who refuse to give up their seat for someone more needy, are the biggest bugbears for Brits who have to commute to work.

Other top causes of annoyance include people taking up more than their fair share of space, having to stand under someone's armpit, and people who hog seats with their bags – or put their feet on seats.

As a result, half of commuters feel their journey to and from work is the worst part of their day, according to a poll of 1,000 adults who use trains, buses, the tube, trams, or boats to travel to work.

But nearly half (48%) confess they themselves have been guilty of committing some of these top faux pas.

The research was commissioned by Virgin Trains Ticketing, a booking platform which rewards passengers with points which can be exchanged for “everyday treats”, flights, and experiences.

Director Mark Plowright said: “Commuting is a necessity for many working adults, and as the research shows it's often the source of much frustration.

“But it shouldn’t be such a nightmare – indeed, travellers are likely to have lots of things they enjoy about their journey. It’s just that certain occurrences can ruin what should be a time to relax."

The study also found the typical public transport commute is 41 minutes long – and on average, 36% of it is spent feeling irritated.

This works out to be just under half-an-hour in total every day – there and back – or two-and-a-half hours each working week.

This might partly explain why three in five (61%) think commuters should be offered more incentives to use public transport.

But 41% are not aware that some train operators run loyalty point reward schemes.

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This finding emerged at a time when two-thirds (67%) said they’re relying on such schemes to help counteract the costs of everyday living as much as possible.

The study, carried out via OnePoll, also found 26% intend to look for cheaper ways to get to work over the coming months.

And one in five (21%) of those polled intend to commute to work more in the coming months – to save costs on heating and electricity at home.

Mark Plowright added: “It’s understandable there’s a desire for commuters to have more incentives to use public transport.

“For one thing, they spend a lot of time and money on these ways of getting to and from work.

“We’re hoping we can make days a little brighter with Virgin Trains Ticketing, and a heap of points for every journey booked.”

TOP 40 PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMMUTING BUGBEARS:

1. People talking loudly on their phone on public transport
2. Aggressive people
3. People refusing to give up their seat for others more needy (e.g. older passengers, pregnant women, people with disabilities, or those with young children)
4. Leaving rubbish on the train tables/bus floors/seats
5. Very delayed trains or buses
6. People who push in when queueing to get on public transport
7. No air conditioning or ventilation on public transport during the summer
8. Noisy children
9. “Manspreaders” – men who insist on taking up room by spreading their legs on public transport
10. People who don't wait for you to get off the tube, train, or bus first before barging on
11. People taking up more than their fair share of space
12. When buses or trains simply don't turn up
13. Feet on the seats
14. People who try and make conversation with you when you're obviously reading/listening to music/not interested
15. People who hog the seat with their bags
16. People asking you to “move down” the carriage when there’s clearly no more space available
17. People who don't let you in when you're trying to get on a busy bus, train, or tube
18. People who have body odour and insist on using high grab rails
19. People who lean up against handrails on public transport, so there’s nothing for anyone else to hold onto
20. People who sit next to you despite there being lots of empty seats elsewhere
21. Having to stand under someone's armpit
22. The feeling of panic after your bus, train, or Tube has reached its stop, that you might not get off in time before the doors close and it moves off again
23. People who have graphic conversations very loudly
24. People who stand in train doorways rather than moving down the carriage
25. When you're on time and your train/bus is late
26. People only moving bags from seats when asked
27. Drunk people on the way home from work
28. People who listen to terrible music (loudly)
29. People who don't have the correct change or even have their wallet out ready to pay for their ticket
30. Waiting ages and then two buses arrive at once
31. When the outside of the bus windows are so foggy you can't tell where you are
32. Young people who don't get up for older people on public transport
33. People complaining when you ask them to get out of your reserved seat
34. People eating loudly on public transport
35. The disappointment of your bus driving past because it is full
36. People who wear too much perfume or aftershave on public transport
37. People who eat smelly food next to you
38. People who insist on letting off wind on public transport
39. People who sit in reserved seating when they did not actually reserve that seat
40. Noses that sniff or snort loudly on public transport

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