A COUNCILLOR who champions public transport today admitted setting a bad example - after her annual expenses included a claim for driving 12,128 miles in her car.

County Coun Jean Yates' claim - based on the authority's highest allowance of 49.9p a mile - is the fourth highest submitted in the last 12 months.

East Lancashire county councillors Marcus Johnstone and David Easton are among only three councillors requesting more.

Today Coun Yates said she would try and travel from her Lancaster home to county hall, Preston, by train more often.

A spokesman for Friends of the Earth said: "Reducing car use is in everybody's interests and councillors are in an ideal place to set an example."

Coun Yates has pledged to scrap free parking at county hall and other large departments within the next year to encourage more councillors and staff on to buses and trains.

But the transport portfolio holder, who is in charge of encouraging more people to use public transport, claimed £6,052.23 for 2003/04 - the first year for which claims have been made public.

She added: "I do, wherever possible travel by public transport but it isn't always possible.

"There is more we can do as councillors and I think we do need to set a better example."

The authority's 78 councillors were paid £145,828.31 in mileage - the equivalent of 292,241 miles at 49.9p a mile, the highest of its mileage rates. They can claim mileage for any journey to meetings authorised by the county council, including public meetings.

And they can also claim back parking charges, toll fees and overnight garaging if they are away overnight. County hall is 50 metres from Preston Railway Station.

Coun Johnstone insisted he used the train whenever he could.

His commute from Burnley to Preston is a 46 mile round trip, entitling him to claim up to £22.95. If he took the train it would cost £7.60.

He said: "I don't know if paying for parking would change anything, because I use my car to get to some of the libraries I am responsible for, in pretty remote places of Lancashire." Lib Dem leader David Whipp, whose Barnoldswick ward is one of the furthest away from county hall, claimed £1,862.40, or 3,731miles.

He said: "I think this is an area where savings can be made and some of these claims seem extraordinary. But the options for public transport are limited and, in the main, not very practical."

County council leader Hazel Harding - who lives in Crawshawbooth and claimed £4,270 in mileage, equivalent to 8,558 miles - said: "It can be hard living in a rural area like Crawshawbooth, and it would take me two-and-a-half hours to get from home to county hall by public transport.

"I think a lot more car-sharing will go on when charges for parking come in."