A wave of anxieties is sweeping through British businesses and motorists, according to recent surveys. From rising prices due to tax hikes to growing unease about smart motorway safety, the economic and infrastructural landscape appears to be causing significant concern.
Tax Hikes Trigger Price Increases and Potential Job Cuts
An official survey has revealed that nearly half (49%) of British firms are planning to increase their prices in response to Labour's proposed national insurance hike. This tax raid, as some are calling it, is expected to significantly impact businesses' bottom lines. One in four companies are also considering cutting staff to mitigate the financial pressure. 
“The survey highlights the economic challenges currently facing businesses as they cope with an increased fiscal burden,” said one industry analyst. The potential for rising prices and job losses paints a concerning picture for the British economy.
Smart Motorway Safety Under Scrutiny
Adding to the general sense of unease, a significant portion of drivers are expressing concerns about the safety of smart motorways. Specifically, 34% of motorists report feeling more anxious driving on dynamic hard shoulder smart motorways, which can be converted into active lanes during peak traffic times. 
This represents a marked decline in perceived safety compared to three years ago. The ability to convert the hard shoulder into a live lane, while designed to ease congestion, appears to be having the unintended consequence of increasing driver anxiety.
Data Requests and Media Mergers
In other business news, private parking firms across Britain are making record numbers of data requests to the DVLA. The latest figures show they made 7.7 million requests for vehicle keeper records in the first six months of the 2024/25 financial year. This equates to a request every two seconds. 
Meanwhile, ITV, the media giant behind popular shows like Britain's Got Talent and Love Island, is keeping its options open amid rumors of a potential merger deal involving its production division, ITV Studios, with rival All3Media. While ITV has declined to comment directly on the merger speculation, the company has confirmed that it is exploring all available opportunities.
These various factors – rising prices, safety concerns, and potential media consolidation – contribute to a complex and somewhat uncertain outlook for the British economy.