Definition of "downturn"

Any [economic] downturn will eventually impact on rail freight, and indeed passenger traffic, so operators are watching this closely.

2019 October, Rail Freight Group, “Consequences of a no deal Brexit”, in Modern Railways, page 20

In the 1950s, the downturn in BR's financial performance can be illustrated by its declining market share. Between 1951 and 1961, the railways' market share of passenger business fell from 21% to 14%, and for freight from 45% to 29%.

2023 March 8, David Clough, “The long road that led to Beeching”, in RAIL, number 978, page 39