The Chancellor George Osborne offered a modest respite on train fare rises in his autumn statement today (Thursday 5 December).
He said that fares would be pegged to inflation as measured by the retail prices index rather than inflation plus 1 per cent.
It means that average increases in January should be 3.1 per cent instead of 4.1 per cent as had been expected.
One commuter said: “It’s a small scrap of good news although tickets are still going to go up and they’ve gone up a lot – above inflation – over quite a few years.”
Tax discs for cars will be scrapped with a shift to digital technology, including enforcement cameras. The measure comes shortly after the closure of the DVLA office in Brighton.
Money will also be spent on house building and business rate relief although younger people will have to work longer to qualify for a state pension.
