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Rail minister spends ^80k on limo to work: Thousands are hit by fare hikes... but he has a CHAUFFEUR for his 35-mile commute

- Simon Burns claims he takes the ^400-a-day car to work as he can't take his ministerial Red Box on the train for security reasons

- But the Transport Department contradicted him saying he CAN travel by train as long as sensitive details can't be seen

- He travels in a brand-new ^25,000 Toyota Avensis which is one of two cars owned by the Government department

The Minister for rail fares is being chauffeured to and from work each day ^ so he can avoid the overcrowded trains he is responsible for. Simon Burns is ferried the 35 miles between his Essex home and his Whitehall office in the comfort  of a Government car which costs the taxpayer ^80,000 a year.

The expensive perk sparked outrage from fellow politicians and from commuters reeling from last week^s inflation-busting fare rises.

Last night, Mr Burns a Tory Minister of State with responsibility for ^rail strategy^ and ^fares policy^, was humiliated when he tried to explain his actions. He claimed he took the ^400-a-day car from his Chelmsford home only because he was barred from working on his Red Box of official Ministerial papers on the train for security reasons.

But he was immediately contradicted by the Cabinet Office, which said Ministers could work on papers in public as long as they ensured sensitive material could not be seen.

Mr Burns, who was appointed to his post in David Cameron^s September reshuffle, is chauffeured in a brand new ^25,000 Toyota Avensis, one of two pool cars owned by the Transport Department.

In contrast, the three other Transport Ministers are remarkably frugal with their commuting arrangements. During the week, Secretary of State Patrick McLoughlin makes the two-mile journey from his London home to his office either by walking or being collected in the other pool car, a ^45,000 Land Rover Discovery. At weekends, he takes a train to his Derbyshire constituency.

Minister Stephen Hammond usually uses public transport to travel the eight miles to his Wimbledon home, ^occasionally^ using a pool car, while Liberal Democrat Under-Secretary Norman Baker takes the train to and from his Lewes constituency twice a week, and otherwise travels from his London home to his office on foot or bus.

Last night, the department admitted that the Avensis, which Mr Burns uses for up to six hours each working day, costs ^80,000 a year. But a spokesman was unable to say what proportion of that was accounted for by Mr Burns^ daily commute, only that: ^The car can be used throughout the day by different Ministers.^

However, one senior Whitehall source told The Mail on Sunday: ^If the Transport Department needs a pool car during the day, the chances are that it will be Mr McLoughlin^s Land Rover. The Avensis always seems to be on the A12 to or from Essex: the reality is that Mr Burns has effectively commandeered it.^

In contrast to the cost of a car, an annual standard-class rail season ticket between Chelmsford and London Liverpool Street costs ^3,455 after rising by six per cent, or ^195,  in this month^s hikes. A first-class season ticket is ^5,400.

And if he was to insist on being driven, local taxi companies quote an each-way fare of ^100 to Westminster, including the congestion charge. If Mr Burns made the journey four days a week, leaving Friday to spend in his constituency,  and for 45 weeks of the year, it would cost a total of ^36,000 by cab.

Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, who unearthed the arrangement when he asked a parliamentary question, said: ^This looks to be an extremely poor use of taxpayers^ money, and a very bad example for a Minister to set.^

A spokesman for passengers^  campaign group Railfuture said: ^It would be nice if the person who is setting these fare rises was also experiencing some of the congestion and overcrowding endured by ordinary, hard-pressed travellers.^

The average cost of rail tickets rose by 4.2 per cent last week ^ the latest in a string of above-inflation increases, despite many rush-hour lines being heavily overcrowded.

Mr Burns, a chain-smoking Oxford graduate and a cousin of rock star David Bowie, shot to prominence two years ago when he described the Commons Speaker John Bercow as a ^stupid, sanctimonious dwarf^.

One of his friends said last night: ^Simon does not believe that he has been unreasonable. He saves taxpayers ^20,000 a year by not claiming for a second home in London. And in any case, the car is paid for on a set daily rate so the cost has nothing to do with bringing Simon in from Chelmsford. He gets up at 5am, often does not get back home until late at night and believes it is totally unfair to criticise him for coming to work  in a Government car. He is not allowed to work on his Red Box in the train but can do so in the car  and is one of the hardest-working Ministers in the Government.^

But a Cabinet Office spokesman said: ^Ministerial boxes can be used by Ministers when travelling. However, the boxes and papers should not be left unattended.^ He added that restricted documents could be read on public transport, but said it was down to a Minister^s discretion to ensure that sensitive papers could not be seen by members of the public.

A Department for Transport  spokesman said: ^The pool car is used throughout the day by all the Ministers and allows them to work on the move. The Minister of State works on his way in to the office and Ministers working on papers of a restricted level or above, or making business phone calls, should only do so in a government car to avoid sensitive information being compromised. Across Government, the cost of the car service has fallen by 70 per cent since the 2010 election.^