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When we left London for Barnsley in South Yorkshire, we sought houses near railway stations. That was how we did it down South. Why should it be different up North? But things are different. Most northerners drive to work.

Direct links to nearby towns are limited. Manchester is only 35 miles from our house. By rail it takes at least 1 hour and involves a change at Huddersfield or Sheffield. With some exceptions, for instance in the affluent suburbs and small towns south of Manchester, such as Didsbury (average house price £250,000, according to the Land Registry) and Altrincham (average price, £272,000), both connected to Manchester city centre by Metrolink tram, the commuting habit is not one that comes naturally to the northerner. Historically, the majority of them lived within easy distance of their jobs.

This traditional lack of mobility is worrying for the North's prospects. A new report by the policy think-tank, Centre for Cities, found that smaller northern towns are failing to cash in on the prosperity of nearby cities because of the reluctance to travel far to work.That said, there are towns where commuting by rail is becoming a significant trend. James Lovegrove, 25, an accountant, drove 33 miles from his Sheffield home to his job in Leeds; 1 hour 15 minutes in the rush hour. To make life easier, he bought a property with his girlfriend a mile from New Pudsey railway station, so he could get to Leeds in just ten minutes. Properties in New Pudsey cost £10,000 to £20,000 more than in Sheffield, but he felt it was worth it for the quicker trip.

In the North East, the new rail link between Sunderland and London could be the boost the area needs. Trains run to London from Sunderland, via Hartlepool, Northallerton, Thirsk and York, in 3 hours. It provides better access to old industrial centres such as Hartlepool, where house prices in the centre dip below £95,000.

Among commuter havens, Warrington in Cheshire, on the Liverpool-Manchester line, benefits from easy access to both. Mitch Poole, a consultant who lives in Warrington and works in Liverpool, said: “I am even considering getting rid of my car, as the journey by road takes up to 1 hours, and by train it's only 35 minutes.” Average house price: £134,600.

Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, a former mill town, sends commuters in all directions by rail. Residents travel to Halifax (11 minutes away), Leeds (46 minutes) and Manchester (1 hr 15 min). Linda Shaw, a partner at the agents Ryburne & Co, said: “We get a lot of people from the financial services industry on relocation from Edinburgh and London.” The average house price is £215,000.

Doncaster, South Yorkshire, has swift links to London (1 hr 40 min), making it popular with business people. Most professionals live in outlying villages, such as Bessacarr, Belton and Bawtry, where family houses cost from about £300,000. Michael Murray, of Lazarus Properties, has based the bulk of his £160 million portfolio in Doncaster. He says: “The fast rail link to London and strong transport infrastructure, including the new Robin Airport, gives Doncaster the edge in tough times.”

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