The volume of house hunters searching for properties near commuter stations has surged between June and August, according to a website.

The biggest jump recorded by Rightmove during the period was in Chelmsford, where searches more than doubled (a 107% increase).

The rise in searches near commuter stations suggests more people are looking for a quicker route to work on office days, as people adopt flexible working routines, Rightmove said.

The analysis compared searches for stations across Britain in June 2021 with August 2021, to measure the impact of the gradual return to office working.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s director of property data, said: “While the demand to relocate or search for more space has by no means gone away, the numbers suggest that this will need to be balanced with easy transport access on office days, which has understandably been lower on the agenda for many over the last 18 months.”

Here are the top increases in buyer searches for homes near stations, comparing June with August, according to Rightmove:

1. Chelmsford Station, 107%

2. Liverpool Lime Street Station, 59%

3. Sittingbourne Station, 47%

=4. Crewe Station, 32%

=4. Hassocks Station, 32%

=4. MediaCityUK (Manchester) tram stop, 32%

=7. Southampton Central Station, 30%

=7. Chesterfield Station, 30%

9. Folkestone West Station, 27%

10. Kettering Station, 26%