SWINDON is a railway town. We owe a great deal to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the Great Western Railway and the generations of Swindonians who worked there.

In 2014, many thousands of us use Swindon station every day and passenger numbers are going up. So too, sadly, are the fares.

Under an historic formula, the price of some train tickets increases automatically each year.

However I’m delighted that this year the government has stepped in to limit the rises on so-called regulated fares to 2.5 per cent. It’s the second year running that we’ve been able to freeze those fare increases in real terms. Clearly the train companies need to work hard to deliver value for money, but I’m pleased that the government has recognised the importance of fairer fares with this announcement.

That’s not the only bit of recent good news for local rail travellers.

We’ve also had the completion of work to increase capacity between Swindon and Kemble with trains now running on the redoubled route. This £45m project was something that Justin Tomlinson and I had pressed for since we became MPs. We now await the electrification of the Great Western mainline through Swindon which will be another huge benefit for rail travellers.

These railway projects all bring more investment into Swindon which is vital for jobs and good for the whole local economy. Another example of this is the announcement that businesses in Swindon and Wiltshire have been awarded £750,000 from what’s known as the Gateway for Growth programme. These grants come from funding secured by the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership. They’re expected to create up to 63 jobs directly, with many more in the supply chains and related industries.

Among local businesses who’ve benefited this time is OATS, which works with oil companies around the world including Shell, Exxon Mobil and BP Castrol. A grant of £31,000 will aid the development of new technology. Other Swindon firms who have benefited in the past include Tetronics International who I visited earlier in the year. Tetronics is pioneering new technology for dealing with hazardous industrial waste around the world. The firm is one of Swindon’s ‘hidden gems’: most of us will never knowingly encounter their work in our everyday lives, but the technology they produce could have a global impact.

Four grants totalling £136,193 have now been awarded to Swindon companies. But it’s not just about money.

The Gateway for Growth programme also provides valuable business advice.

In total, 41 Swindon companies are now accessing the scheme, but the search is on for more. If you know of a business that might benefit, do let me know and I will pass on the details.