MP faces rural area transport challenge

NORTH-EAST Derbyshire MP Natascha Engel said hiring a car was the best way of making sure she can reach all parts of her largely rural constituency.

Mrs Engel was the only one of the region’s MPs whose claims last year included car hire. She spent £1,602.73.

She told the Yorkshire Post the arrangement allowed her to use the train to travel from London the Sheffield,

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“The constituency is absolutely enormous. It would either be a case of owning a car to keep here with the running costs which would be unaffordable, or do it by public transport which is not possible.

“I had quite a lot of conversations with IPSA about the best way to do it and they said they were very happy with that.”

Mrs Engel’s claims also included a return car trip between London and her constituency, recorded as necessary to transport files relating to her expenses claims.

However, the MP insisted the claim had been mis-recorded and related to the use of car to move a collection of files from her London office to her constituency which was cheaper than using a courier service.

Mrs Engel said the expenses system was “cumbersome but important” for public trust.