BUDDING entrepreneurs are being urged to hit the road - by setting up a smart new chauffeur franchise.

The man driving the brainwave, Wetherby-based Hugh Millington, reckons anyone getting involved should gear up for a tidy profit.

The managing director of Minster Chauffeurs is calling on North Yorkshire forward thinkers to take advantage of the boom in executives using traditional limousines.

Mr Millington, who also heads the chauffeur training school, The Sovereign Chauffeur Company, said: "The number of executives using chauffeur-driven cars is increasing every year.

"This is because of increased congestion on roads - a chauffeur at least allows an executive to be productive whilst travelling, and there is a lack of privacy on trains and planes. There is also a trend for business people to use no-frills flights from regional airports and use a chauffeur to take them there and back."

He was speaking after the launch of a corporate chauffeur franchise, opening up four northern areas for Yorkshire entrepreneurs.

Minster Chauffeurs has teamed up with The Franchise Company to develop a package costing £13,500, plus the cost of a car. Within three years, Mr Millington says the business should be generating £37,000 profit a year.

The package includes a week's training at the north's only chauffeur school to cover chauffeuring and business skills, uniform, a business launch and PR campaign, promotional literature, office equipment and computer and a helpline service for queries or problems.

Updated: 10:27 Tuesday, February 22, 2005