Sianding at the railway station on a weekday morning in St Albans, a cathedral city in London's commuter belt, rail passengers have plenty to feel miserable about. Their fares are the highest in Europe, according to a report on February 19th from the rail-consumer watchdog. Despite the recession, the platforms are still packed, and commuters' chances of getting a seat on the services into the capital seem as minuscule as ever.rnDespite the crammed carriages, the deteriorating economy has train companies worried, for two reasons. Historically, shifts in rail passengers' numbers have closely tracked changes in employment. Passenger numbers fell by over 10% a year in the recession of the early 1980s (the fall was less dramatic in the early-199os slump, but more prolonged). With the unemployment rate now standing at 6.3% and lay-offs being announced daily, rapid passengerrngrowth-7% last year-is over and the numbers travelling may fall.
展开▼
