Public transport operators are being advised to increase rush hour fares in order to encourage people to spread out their commutes.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies has written a paper “getting people back into work” which looks at dealing with social distancing issues as restrictions are eased on people’s ability to travel.

It says we have been used to trying to encourage public transport use and discourage driving, but that this logic is temporarily reversed.

It says that in London especially, where far more people use public transport to get to work compared to other parts of the country, spreading their commutes out more from the morning and evening rush hours will be important, with options including changing the relative price of peak-time travel, suspending the London congestion charge and encouraging firms to innovate in shift scheduling.

It also calls for incentives for home working and public investment in infrastructure to deliver job creation.