Using public transport could be better for your health – in more ways than one.

Recent research has shown that bus passengers suffer less mental stress than their car-driving counterparts.

Dr David Lewis, the psychologist credited with coining the phrase 'road rage', warned stresses such as congestion and delays could raise blood pressure and lead to more serious issues.

His experiment with 30 commuters who made identical or similar trips as bus passengers and car drivers found that average stress levels were 33 per cent lower on bus journeys.

"What Dr Lewis's research shows is that by letting someone else worry about the commute to work, there's a direct benefit to passengers health, as well as to their environment,'" said Metro Chairman Cllr Chris Greaves.

"Whether it be by reading a book, newspaper or catching up with friends and colleagues, using public transport allows passengers to arrive in a more relaxed, refreshed state of mind.

"With Metro’s real-time yournextbus service via text messages, the Internet and almost 1,000 shelter displays, plus travel alerts delivered via Twitter, Facebook and www.wymetro.com, it's never been easier to plan a bus journey with confidence.

"You'd be mad to drive if there's an alternative – and sitting in traffic jams, you'd be getting madder all the time."

For regular travellers, Metro's weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual MetroCards represent significant savings over paying for each journey on the bus or train, and they can be used on almost any service run by any operator in West Yorkshire. Different zonal versions are available for West Yorkshire's rail network, and there are add-on rail tickets for commuters in Skipton and Harrogate.

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