The survey was carried out amongst 7,468 respondents between September and October 2014 and found that half (50%) of local government and NHS commuters use their car every day of the week – despite the fact that 86% said their commute took under an hour.

Unsurprisingly there was a huge variance in car usage between London and other areas of the UK. London recorded the lowest percentage of everyday car usage (24%), which contrasts sharply with the highest percentage (63%) found in Northern Ireland. Much of this difference can be attributed to the availability of public transport, but even other urban areas such as the West Midlands still recorded high figures (58%).

A clear majority of drivers (64%) felt they had no alternative but to use their car to get to work. This is despite almost two in three (58%) workplaces offering cycle to work schemes.

As well as employees feeling they don’t have any other viable way to get to work, there appears to be negative perceptions about commuting without using a car. Exactly half of respondents would not like to use an alternative form of transport, compared with just 26% who said they would like to find another commuting option.

Despite the predominantly pro-car sentiment, the survey highlighted the reasons why some people might choose to leave their car at home. The three main deterrents to driving to work were listed as: cost of parking (20%), congestion (19%) and alternatives are more convenient (16%).

One fifth (20%) of respondents also said their commute had slowed since last year, and a further 70% reported that it had not improved. Considering these results, it is likely the Government's announcement to speed up investment in the roads will be met with particular approval from this group of drivers.

Tim Meadows, brand director at Automotive Leasing, said: ‘Car use is clearly still very popular amongst NHS and local authority employees. It is clear that many of these workers also feel they have no option but to use their car. We’re using this data, along with our industry-leading insight to help our teams make even better decisions about vehicle recommendations to these organisations.

‘In many cases cars are indeed the only viable option for commuters. We recognise this and are working closely with clients to help them pick the most environmentally-friendly vehicles for their staff and support them in reducing their carbon footprint. It was interesting to see that many of these shorter journeys could suit electric vehicle use, and this option is something we will certainly be raising with relevant clients in the coming months.’