Passenger revenue growth on one of Arriva’s key routes has dipped sharply over the past three months, heightening fears of a sharp slowdown in rail travel in the wake of the recession.

Arriva, the bus and rail operator, said passenger revenue growth on its CrossCountry rail service, which runs between Aberdeen and Penzance, slowed from 11.2 per cent last year to 4.5 per cent in the three months to April. In March Arriva said the route needed passenger revenue growth of 10 per cent to maintain profitability.