David Cameron tells ministers: Forget the limo and travel by Tube

Government ministers have been told to use the Tube and train under tough new rules to cut costs and clean up public life, it emerged today.

The number and use of chauffeur-driven cars have been slashed by the Lib-Con coalition under a wider shake-up of perks and travel.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the new ministerial code was aimed at rebuilding trust in politics and politicians following the MPs' expenses scandal and excessive public spending.

The code prevents former ministers lobbying Government for two years, tightens controls on government cars and numbers of special advisers and requires the regular publication of details of ministerial meetings, hospitality, gifts and travel.

In Opposition, the Conservatives repeatedly warned they would cut ministerial pay and perks. This week it emerged that former chief secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne — who left a jokey note for his successor that "there is no money" — had a £100,000-a-year ministerial Jaguar.

Ministerial cars cost £10 million a year under the last Labour government, with up to 80 cars available at any time.

Under the new code published today, ministerial cars will continue to be used but will be severely restricted. "Ministers are permitted to use an official car for official business and for home to office journeys within a reasonable distance of London on the understanding that they would normally be carrying classified papers on which they would be working," the code states. "Where practicable, ministers are encouraged to use public transport."

It adds: "The number of ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed."

Ministers will be encouraged to finish their "red boxes" in the office, saving them the need to take confidential papers home.

Other rules in the code will mean that for the first time that details of gifts worth more than £140 received and given by ministers will be published on a quarterly basis. Ministers' meetings with external organisations will also be published quarterly, as will all overseas ministerial travel. In the past, overseas travel and travel costing more than £500 a trip was published annually.

In his foreword to the Ministerial Code, Mr Cameron made clear why he was determined to overhaul the system.

"Our new government has a particular and historic responsibility: to rebuild confidence in our political system," he said. "After the scandals of recent years, people have lost faith in politics and politicians. It is our duty to restore their trust. It is not enough simply to make a difference. We must be different."

"In everything we do — the policies we develop and how we implement them, the speeches we give, the meetings we hold — we must remember that we are not masters but servants. Though the British people have been disappointed in their politicians, they still expect the highest standards of conduct. We must not let them down."