Passenger Focus highlights the need for train companies to ‘double efforts to make sure that poor performance is spotted, understood and addressed’. They also say that ‘value for money scores for commuter, leisure and business passengers have dropped’.

In the meantime the Association of Train Operating Companies vaunts a surprising upward trend in the number of passengers going first class.

Maybe the TOCs should be focussing on the former not the latter? A rise in costlier tickets during a recession is indeed noteworthy, but I’m sure the vast majority of the rail travelling public would be more interested to know whether such successes will result in more carriages, lower and simpler fares.

To be fair ATOC did respond directly to Passenger Focus’ criticisms but in a way typical of the Blair/Campbell era of spin. There would be less dissatisfaction with the rail service if, just occasionally, operators would respond candidly.

As it is, much of the (standard) fare paying public still views their rail journey as a necessity rather than a pleasure, operators as money grabbing rather than customer serving.