IT may only have been an overnight stay. But the Royal Train which took the Prince of Wales from Euston to York last December cost the taxpayer nearly £18,000.

Details of the expense, incurred when the Prince attended engagements at York College and meetings in the city, were revealed as the cost of journeys made by members of the Royal Family in the last financial year were made public in the Civil List.

It is not only Prince Charles who has been a big spender.

The Duke of York racked up 32 journeys which cost more than £2,500 - those official trips by train, plane and charter aircraft costing a total of £575,465.

Overall, it emerged that the Royals spent £2,849,745 on getting to and from their official duties.

But as Head of State, Buckingham Palace said the Queen cost members of the public only 61p each a year.

The Royal Public Finances annual report, which includes the details of public expenditure on property and travel, said Head of State expenditure for 2004 to 2005 was £36.7 million - slightly lower than the previous year.

That led the Palace to claim that the Royal Household was "value for money in all areas of expenditure".

Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said: "The further reduction in the amount of Head of State expenditure reflects the continuous attention the Royal Household pays to obtaining the best value for money in all areas of expenditure."

In York, the figures provoked a mixed reaction.

"City MP Hugh Bayley said the Duke of York helped to safeguard British jobs.

"The Duke has an important practical job promoting British interests abroad which earns millions of pounds and safeguards thousands of jobs in the country," he said.

"If it is an official visit of this kind, then the Government should pay.

"The Public Accounts Committee requires expenditure figures to be published and looked at in detail."

But Andy D'Agorne, of the York Green Party, said the costs were an "inefficient use of a scarce resource".

"This does seem exceedingly excessive. I think this is a vast waste of money.

"I can see there may be some benefits to business, but nothing compared to the costs of it and the cost to the taxpayer," said Coun D'Agorne.

Updated: 10:36 Thursday, June 23, 2005