Traffic on the Medway City Estate is not only bad for businesses, it could be seriously damaging your health.

Thousands of people employed on the business park in Strood face traffic misery at the end of each working day.

As the road layout struggles to cope with the volume of vehicles, long queues form every evening during rush hour. There are often delays of up to an hour, with the roads at a standstill.

Roadworks in Strood have a knock-on effect on estate traffic and gas works in Banks Road have been causing even longer delays in recent weeks.

On Monday, the traffic was at its worse – with some drivers taking two hours just to travel one mile to get off the estate.

A study has found that each minute added to a commute affects anxiety, happiness and general wellbeing.

The research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows commuters are more likely to be anxious, dissatisfied and have the sense that their daily activities lack meaning than those who do not have to travel to work, even if they are paid more.

Lengthy commutes, between an hour and an hour and a half, have the most negative effect on personal wellbeing, the ONS research found.

Commuting affects wellbeing because of the link between stress and mental health. The stress is caused by a lack of control during commuting, caused by delayed trains, traffic jams and unpredictable weather, for instance.

Research also shows that boredom and social isolation among commuters can lead to unhappiness.

Long hours of commuting, especially if you’re driving, are also associated with high blood pressure, muscle and joint disorders, increased anger and resentment at work, absenteeism, lateness and an inability to concentrate and perform to the same standards as those who live in much closer proximity.

Long commutes can also increase the risk of heart attacks, flu and depression.

GP Dr Farnaaz Sharief runs workshops titled Manage Your Mind to help those suffering from stress, anxiety and depression.

She said: “When people are stuck in traffic they can get frustrated and their anxiety levels go up. This can have an impact on your mind and it will impact the rest of your day.

“Being in a stressful situation like a traffic jam tires you out. And if you are dealing with it on a daily basis, it can reduce your productivity, your ability and your energy levels. A lot of people who have commented on the Medway Estate traffic have made comments about this.

“Physically, sitting in a car for long periods is not good for your back because you cannot stretch your legs. But it can have a bigger effect on your mental health rather that your physical health.”

What does Dr Sharief advise if you are stuck in a jam? Take a few deep breaths.

She explained: “Breathing techniques can help people who are in difficult situations. If you are stuck in traffic, I would advise you to take long, deep breaths.

“The breathing techniques we teach at Manage Your Mind can help. We have seen people reduce their anxiety by 68% just by managing their breathing.”

Like every other business on the estate, the Medway Messenger has had enough and is now launching a campaign for improvements to the roads and measures to tackle the queues.

Our petition calling on the council, estate management, businesses and transport services to take urgent action to tackle the problem has gained more than 800 signatures in its first week.

To sign the petition, visit www.gopetition.com/petitions/get-the-medway-city-estate-moving.html

More on the campaign in today's Medway Messenger.