CIVIL servants' transport arrangements will cost the public purse more dearly if they are forced to give up their cars and use public transport. The claim follows plans at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' to slash mileage allowances as a key element in its blueprint for Government staff travel.

Calculations by Lease Plan show that travelling by public transport can cost 177% more than travelling by car, particularly when more than one employee is travelling. Two civil servants travelling from London to Birmingham for a Friday meeting, for example, would pay £140 in train fares, yet the same journey in a Rover 214i would cost £50.40 at 21p per mile, Lease Plan's estimate for the wholelife running cost of the car.

Under the DETR's current mileage reimbursement rate of 34ppm, the journey would cost £81.60, and just £45.60 under the proposed rate of 19ppm, making the return train trip for the two people 207% more expensive than car sharing. Nick Salkeld, Lease Plan's commercial director, said: 'Rail privatisation was meant to ensure that train tickets would be capped at or below inflation. In reality, fares have increased by anything up to 26%. Even with the expected rises in fuel duty, vehicle tax and possible road tolls, public transport looks set to remain exorbitantly more expensive than using the car.'