Alastair Darling has reigned in the government's swingeing fuel tax increase planned for today's budget - but the pain will be staged instead.
We had expected an extra 3p per litre to be added to pump prices today, but the government has decided to add a penny now, another penny in October, and another after Christmas.
Darling also confirmed Labour intends to restart the Fuel Tax Escalator from 2014.
Other budget news includes the announcement of £100m for local authorities to repair potholes, but no clue as to how the government intends to make sure the money is spent on the roads as intended, and £285million for motorway 'improvements' that include more hard shoulder running schemes. (They're the ones that come with Highways Agency speed enforcement cameras attached.)
It has also been confirmed that the Dartford River crossing on the M25 is definitely up for sale, leading to fears that toll charges could rise under new ownership.