Strasbourg, Brussels, London: The loneliness of the long-distance MEP ends another career Â

One MEP says he missed the birth of his daughter because he was stuck in France, another says he came home and found his photo stuck on the fridge. "It's to remind the children what you look like," his wife said.

The day after the leader of Labour's 28 MEPs quit his post, saying it was incompatible with family life, many colleagues agreed the strain of travel between their constituencies, Brussels and Strasbourg takes an unacceptable toll.

Once, when politicians said they wanted to spend more time with their family, it was a euphemism for getting the sack. But Simon Murphy, the outgoing leader of the Labour group, has resigned voluntarily because he can see no other way to lead a normal family life.

Having already lost one child, who died aged only one month, Mr Murphy found it increasingly difficult to spend so much time away from his new son, Jonathan. "He is 21 months and he knows his father goes away. He doesn't like it and I don't like it. I have come to the stage of my life where one realises people have some choices: how do you reconcile being a mother and father with your career?"

The resignation of Mr Murphy, who will step down at the next elections in 2004, is not an isolated incident. Less than three years ago his predecessor, Alan Donnelly, quit, also complaining of the European Parliament having two main sites, one in Brussels the other in Strasbourg where it convenes one week in four.

MEPs are in perpetual motion because they have three bases: their constituency offices, their main parliamentary home in Brussels and Strasbourg. For the leader of a political group, as Mr Murphy is, there is the added burden of regular meetings with the national leadership in London.

With the European Parliament now elected on a proportional basis, MEPs are supposed to represent regions several times larger than Westminster parliamentary constituencies. That means weekend engagements can be two hours' drive away.

So difficult has the juggling act become that at least four British MEPs now base their family life around Brussels rather than the UK, although the issue is highly sensitive because it can provide ammunition for opponents. As one MEP, who did not want to be named, put it: "The only way to make this job manageable with a family is if they are based in Brussels."

The Strasbourg commute is a particular issue because of the city's poor transport links. The effectiveness of MEPs is being hampered by the amount of time they waste in travel. One Finnish MEP begins the journey for the Monday session in Alsace on a Sunday. Pat Cox, the European Parliament's president, gets up at 4am on Monday to travel from Cork to Strasbourg by 5pm the same day.

Nerj Deva, a Conservative MEP, is among several who have been overbooked on the regular Air France flight from Gatwick and stranded. At one point MEPs were drawing lots to get on a plane to Nantes (nowhere near Strasbourg) when the service was cancelled. This, added to the waste involved in the monthly trek from Brussels to Strasbourg, has fuelled calls for reform.

Each Friday before the Strasbourg week, two trucks, filled with documents and files, will make the five-hour, 275-mile journey to Strasbourg. The cost is estimated at €100m to €150m a year. David Harley, spokesman for Mr Cox, says: "Most MEPs are not concerned about the two-seat issue but about the loss of time, the frustration and irritation of the poor connections and the loss of efficiency."

Mr Murphy is more blunt. "It may seem odd for MEPs to complain about travel when this is seen as part of the gravy train. But while there are many great and interesting things about the job there are costs to be borne, and I have decided to derail my own gravy train."

Case study the MEP's diary

This week's schedule for Bill Miller, Scottish Labour MEP:

* Monday: 5am: Leave Glasgow 2-3pm: Arrive European Parliament, Brussels

* Thursday: 12.45pm: Leave European Parliament, Brussels 5pm: Arrive Glasgow

* Friday: Morning constituency meetings in Glasgow 12pm: Leave Glasgow. 3.30pm: Arrive at constituency meeting in Stranraer 6pm: Leave Stranraer 8pm: Arrive Kilmarnock 10pm: Leave Kilmarnock 10.40pm: Arrive Glasgow

* Saturday: Morning and afternoon constituency business in Glasgow