 At a time of rapidly rising concerns about the effect of road transport on the environment, and in particular from the program of road building which had resulted in major road protests, at Twyford Down and other locations, the Conservatives under John Major introduced a 'Fuel Price Escalator' in March 1993 set initially at 3% ahead of inflation per year, increased to 5% later in the same year, and then increased again to 6% in 1997 by the Blair ministry after Labour won power.The last rise due to the escalator took place following the budget on 9 March 1999 at a time of rapidly increasing oil prices.In 2000 at a time of rising protests at the cost of fuel Gordon Brown announced that the prices would only be increased by inflation due to the high price of oil.