Leicestershire council leader David Parsons' car trips would have been £24,000 cheaper by train

“The only train this guy is interested in riding is the gravy train. Looks like a bit more exercise would benefit him too, save ££££s and lose lbs.”

“Perhaps would have cost that in parkiing fee's !!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Bob 491 there are many flaws in your arguements
It is reasonable to travel first class and at peak times. So the difference is less. He does not travel to St Pancras but somewhere within 10 miles meaning two taxi trips. The difference is likely to be 50 pounds and the inconvenience of waiting for trains at both ends and a taxi to and from Kirby Muxloe more than justifies that. You write he is guilty of other errors, Guilty? since when were errors a crime ?
The real question is why did he need 200 trips in 6 years. Reduced to actual working days this is about 1 every 7 working days. This is suspicious aand requires clarification. Your maths are wrong and biased. No MP has been imprisoned for claiming justified expenses. The trips now need justifying. I am a frequent self financing traveller and the costs are OK for any exxcutive .
Just the why ? needs examining. So dont take pre-booked prices as normal when comparing. Fair
comparisons bear more weight and will get him removed quicker than rash statements.”

“Not before time a Police investigation into this nasty piece of work.”

“Quote: "202 return trips to the capital over the past six years in the authority's civic car, costing £280 each time"

Since it is possible to complete a first class rail & underground trip for £50 even on today's prices, that means a saving of £230 each trip, which over 202 trips means a total saving of £46,460 ie nearly £50,000.

Wann in Leicester is supposed to have failed to pay the cost of 5 parking tickets, presumably worth just £350, but has been rightly condemned.

However Parsons' overspend on travel to London is nearly £50,000, or 133 times as much as Wann's. And Parsons is guilty of other financial errors as well!

Now MPs have been rightly imprisoned for over-claiming expenses of just £10,000. Can Parsons continue to lead the Council from inside Leicester Jail?”

“"I was never told how much it cost. Had I known how much cheaper it was to go by train at the time I would have done that." It never occured to him that public transport might be cheaper than a chauffeur driven limousine. Yet we're expected to believe he's delivering excellent value for money from the huge budget he's responsible for. Hardly suggests a firm grasp of reality. Head down in the pig bin....”

“Quote: "Officials calculate it would cost £135 to £160 to make the equivalent trip by rail"

They must be incompetent officials then. I have just looked at the prices for travelling in a months' time and discovered that a first class ticket from Leicester to London St Pancras and back can be bought for as little as £42. With an Oyster card for the Underground Railway or bus, a cost of £50 would be possible. Any unnecessary costs above that should be paid for by Parsons himself.

In fact my family all travelled that route for less than £50 in total not long ago, though we didn't bother with the first class.

ps why does this website employ a USA spell checker and not a proper English one?”

“Whoops - should have sell checked!!”

“"austerity" Sydney”

“Once aboard the gravy train they leave reality well behind. You only have to look at the smug look. I cannot stand these peasants near me on a train. My car Jeeves.”