As capital struggles to work on the Tube, MPs want a taxi allowance

The demand is one in a series by politicians calling for a dramatic increase to their salaries. Some MPs want their pay to jump to £100,000 while others are calling for a one-off pay hike of up to £25,000.

They are complaining that their pay has not kept pace with that of senior civil servants, company directors, senior police officers or local authority chief executives - but that their workload has increased in the email era and that many of them work up to 80 hours a week.

One MP argued for a taxi allowance so they don't have to use the Tube, while others have demanded more funds to install panic buttons in their constituency offices. Many also want more generous allowances for their office, staff, and car mileage.

Some inner London MPs also called for their allowances for living in the capital to be quadrupled to £11,350.

The request for a taxi allowance is likely to stun many commuters who struggle every day to get to work on the Underground.

In a submission to the Senior Salaries Review Body, veteran Conservative MP Anthony Steen said: "There needs to be a more realistic provision to enable Members (MPs) to take taxis to and from London train stations.

"It is neither reasonable nor practical to expect Members of Parliament who are not in the prime of youth to carry heavy cases on the Underground.

"While I believe taxi fares can be claimed from the office cost allowance, if one visits one's constituency most weekends this could reach £1,000 each year." Mr Steen, 68, MP for Totnes, also called for salaries for politicians to increase incrementally in line with their age and experience.

He added: "I do not wish to comment on parliamentary pay except to say that the emoluments are not appropriate reimbursement for the duties rightly expected of one of the nation's 650 elected legislators."

But Brian Cooke, Chairman of London TravelWatch stressed many Tube users would be amazed that MPs felt they should not have to use the Underground. He said: "They ought to mix with London commuters and understand their frustrations.

"They also have at Westminster one of the most modern Tube stations and much nearer to their office than many other offices in London."

He stressed that many commuters have to carry heavy bags on the Underground.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of low-tax campaign group the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: "This is an insult to millions of ordinary, hard-working taxpayers who use the Tube and buses every day.

"People already feel that politicians are out of touch and seeing them chauffeur-driven around London free of charge will only fuel that feeling."