A rail company that is launching a campaign to get people out of their cars so they can work while travelling has been criticised by commuters.

Chiltern Railways, which runs trains from Harrow-on-the-Hill, will launch the campaign today aimed at people travelling during the working day, after conducting research showing business travellers are “three times more productive” than motorists.

But the scheme was met with scepticism at Harrow-on-the-Hill station yesterday morning.

Daniel Hamilton, 42, who works as an accountant in Marylebone, said commuting was about “convenience”, something he doubted people would want to give up.

He said: “I wouldn’t work while on the train because it’s only a ten-minute journey between Harrow and Marylebone, so it seems like a wasted effort.

"I take the train because it’s convenient, so I would expect people drive to work because that’s what suits them.

I can’t imagine people wanting to give that up in a hurry without some kind of incentive, like cheaper rail fares, for instance.”

Chiltern Railways believes there is scope for commuters to increase their productivity by 40 per cent, after its research showed small businesses could be losing as much as £53,988 per year in productivity.

Barry Marsh, 56, is also an accountant. He said: “Working on the train is rather distracting – I’ve tried it with my laptop, but it’s counter-productive. The idea behind the campaign seems strange to me.”

Thomas Abelman, marketing director at Chiltern Railways, defended the campaign.

He said: “Our research shows that around two out of ten people who drive into work could make productive use of their time on the train.

"We have charging ports and wi-fi on board, so instead of taking the office home with you, you can work on the train and relax when you get home.”

He also responded to concerns that the Chiltern line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Marylebone was a ten-minute journey, so did not merit the campaign’s efforts.

He said: “What many people don’t know is from Marylebone, you can get a train to Birmingham — which is a key development area for businesses in the north-west — in one hour and 40 minutes for just £25.

"Those who work in Birmingham but drive are actually wasting time on the M40, when they could get to the office quicker and use their time more productively by working on the train.”