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Features

Welcome to Ryanair Britain

Local councils, banks, railway companies and the taxman have all learned the art of ‘pirate pricing’

31 August 2013

9:00 AM

31 August 2013

9:00 AM

Which businessman is the most influential in the making of government policy? The answer came to me when I received a letter fining me £80 for forgetting to renew my car insurance by the correct date. But it could also have come to me had I forgotten to fill out of council tax enquiry form (fine £70), missed getting in my tax return by one day (£100), or got caught in a box junction in the King’s Road which has two sets of traffic lights in quick succession (£130).

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