Driven to distraction

IT will come as no surprise to long-suffering passengers that just two-thirds of train services arrived on time last year.

Equally predictably, a major survey showed that one in three motorists, having largely given up on public transport, is now more dependent on their car than a year ago.

And having been driven back on to the roads, there is a strong rumour they are to be penalised again in the Budget, with a sharp increase in fuel duty.

The rise would no doubt be dressed up as a green tax, necessary to fight climate change. But that would cut little ice with battling commuters.

They’d see it as yet another government fleecing motorists, while failing to provide them with realistic alternative ways of getting get to work. And they’d be right.

THE Office for National Statistics tells us there has been a sharp decline in volunteering. This has certainly not been the Mail’s experience. More than 200,000 volunteers have already signed up to take part in our Great British Spring Clean campaign. They are doing something heroic for their community. Do the same for yours. Join us today.