'I'm not convinced Cameron's right on Ministerial transport...' blog discussion

The_Thrilla · 8 June 2010 at 11:56AM

But is a minister travelling to work on the tube the cheapest way to go? If you saw, say, Gideon Osbourne sitting in the same carriage, what would stop you going over to take a punch? Well, he obviously has minders with him. Jeb Bush, governor of Florida, so I read, walks to work; but he has an SUV full of bodyguards in tow. So having a ministerial car would probably be cheaper anyway. But a ministerial car need not be a Bugatti Royale, when a Ford would do.

paulhiphop · 9 June 2010 at 11:50AM

You're right Martin, in this situation it's a daft idea for the reasons you have explained.
However the principal is a good one - if MPs have to use the same state run services as the rest of us they'd be more inclined to make sure they function properly.
It would be very interesting to see how things might change if they were not allowed to have private healthcare or send their children to private schools.
Call me cynical but I can't see that happening any time soon!

Mids_Costcutter · 9 June 2010 at 9:57PM

According to the BBC article on this, the reforms to the Government Car Service will save £2.8m per annum:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8702883.stm

I don't agree with Martin that this is a negligible amount. Everything counts!

JDPower · 9 June 2010 at 10:23PM

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

According to the BBC article on this, the reforms to the Government Car Service will save £2.8m per an:huh:num:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8702883.stm

I don't agree with Martin that this is a negligible amount. Everything counts!

Well it is a negligible amount but as most moneysavers would probably agree all the little savings add up. Just cos this is on a far bigger scale doesn't mean that doesn't apply and I find it strange that Martin goes against that in this story just because one or two big savings would outdo it (isn't this what Martin calls a pain free saving that are the first step to bringing down your outgoings). I dare say there are lots of little savings, this one just makes the news cos it's good tabloid fodder.

Fine to disagree with the principle of it but strange to pick fault with it for being a small saving, especially on this site

z1000000 · 10 June 2010 at 11:02AM

Hi

I do agree that sometimes using a car or aircraft is the smartest choice. However, surely even a small car or people carrier would get them about just as quickly as a Jag. And for trains/flights, doesn't economy get you there just as quickly as first class? And just what appointments do they need to travel for? If it's to turn up on TV then they should be better employed rather than chauffeured around the country. With computers and teleconferencing, I'm sure many meetings could be taken more efficiently.

This argument should be linked to the expenses question. If I'm paying out of my pocket for my transport, I find the cheapest/most efficient way. If my employer/taxpayers are paying, I would go for something a bit more expensive. Hey, it's human nature isn't it. As almost everything a MP has to pay out for is claimed back on expenses, (still), there is no incentive for our public servants to be economical. These people are in charge of multi million pound budgets, yet that can't run their own lives frugally and have no idea what people in the real world spend on their daily lives.

Check out, they work for you.com. My MP seems to be a model public servant, yet he still claims on average over £15,000 a month on expenses. That's not his pay, that's extra, that's just the freebies we pay for. I'm sure if all my travel costs, phone calls, computer bills, (the list is frightening), etc were free, I would travel first class and have nice toys too.

So, pay them a fixed fee, with no expenses. Then what they do with their pay is down to them. They can go first class everywhere if they like. But as the costs are coming out of their and not our pocket, I think most would start shopping around for better deals or not travelling so much. And if they don't like public transport or traffic jams and speeding/parking tickets, well only they are in a position to change things.

Kiko4564 · 11 June 2010 at 5:51PM

No offence, but what about traffic jams?

prudence41 · 12 June 2010 at 11:59AM

Govt ministers should use the chauffeur driven cars; then at least we don't have to pay extra for security (can you imagine giving up a rare tube train seat so that the protective detail can sit next to their charges!) and they can work more!

MPs get more holiday than teachers and given the space in the House of Commons, they don't even bother to turn up to work every day. They need to join the real world or take a pay cut!

daveharruk · 12 June 2010 at 12:12PM

The main one being that you can work on public transport, whereas I find it hard to believe that you can do so when on a taxi-motorbike. Also, publically accessible bicycles such as provided in Paris or in Germany or a folding bike, make the public transport option quicker as you can rely on mass transit systems for the bulk of the journey, then hop onto a cheap, healthy and quick bicycle to get you to/from the station.

JDPower · 12 June 2010 at 3:40PM

daveharruk wrote: »

The main one being that you can work on public transport

But ministers can't as they're not allowed to carry their documents with them on public transport.

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