Smelly passengers are biggest communter gripe

Commuters turn their noses up the most at travellers who smell, according to a survey today.

Those with personal hygiene problems are in particularly bad odour with Scots who are the commuters most bothered by smelly travellers, the poll by video game company PopCap.com found.

People talking loudly on mobile phones is the second biggest irritation for commuters, with travellers in Leeds and Newcastle the most likely to make or receive calls while on their way to work.

The survey of 1,564 adults also revealed that almost half of commuters listen to other people's conversations, while more than half read papers, text messages, books and confidential work documents over fellow passengers' shoulders.

The poll showed that women are less tolerant than men of children and babies who travel during the rush-hour.

Londoners are the least tolerant of slow-moving crowds at busy times, finding them four times more annoying than travellers in Sheffield do.

Only 7% of commuters are willing to chat to fellow travellers, with those in Cardiff and Bristol the most likely to strike up a conversation.

Travellers in Sheffield, Leeds and Liverpool are just as unlikely to chat as those in London.