Skip to main content

Bring Back British Rail

  • About
  • News
  • Support
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Bluesky
  • Vimeo
  • Instagram

News

The Today Programme debate

27th August 2016 | Media Coverage / News

Bring Back British Rail’s Ellie Harrison debates rail re-nationalisation with Pete Waterman on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

The Huffington Post report on the debate here >

+ Share

Like Tweet

« Older
Newer »

Your Views

  • A national asset, which is for every citizen’s benefit, should belong to the nation, aiming to break even.

    Ian Henden, Fareham

  • Greedy bastards.

    Arthur Shaw, Bromley

  • Re-nationalise it now – the sooner the better.

    Joe Tait, Southampton

  • Nationalise the railways.

    Ross Atherton, Dunfermline

  • Public ownership is better than private. Just look at the East Coast Mainline for proof.

    George Parker, Manchester

Latest from Facebook

— bringbackbritishrail

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Author Avatar
Bring Back British Rail
4 weeks ago

It's that time of year again... Fancy some Bring Back British Rail campaign merch? 🚉 Order by the end of Tuesday 16 Dec 2025 to receive in time for Christmas🎄👇
🛒 bringbackbritishrail.org/support
All proceeds help support our volunteer-run campaign 😊 ... See MoreSee Less

Its that time of yea
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments likes love wow 18 Shares: 0 Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

View more comments

Author Avatar
Bring Back British Rail
2 months ago

We'll never get a simplified unified railway if private Open Access operators are allowed to continue running their own services & selling their own tickets🚆 The frustration of only being able to use specific tickets on specific trains will persist 😤 Heidi Alexander must #ScrapOpenAccess now! ... See MoreSee Less

This content isn't available at the moment

When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments likes love sad angry 70 Shares: 7 Comments: 4

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

View more comments

Author Avatar
Bring Back British Rail
3 months ago

Today we celebrate Greater Anglia coming back into public ownership 🥳 We'll be keeping our Privatisation Departures Board updated as the next dates are announced:
⏱️ bringbackbritishrail.org/departures
But the real fight to make Great British Railways a success begins with the #RailwaysBill later this year 🚆 Watch this space We Own It @top fans ... See MoreSee Less

Today we celebrate G
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments likes love haha wow angry 544 Shares: 51 Comments: 62

62 CommentsComment on Facebook

View more comments

Author Avatar
Bring Back British Rail updated their status.
4 months ago

... See MoreSee Less

This content isn't available at the moment

When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments likes love haha wow 101 Shares: 5 Comments: 4

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

View more comments

Load more

Latest from Twitter

— @bringbackBR

Join the conversation using:
#bringbackbritishrail #bbbr #bringbackBR #BringBackOurRailways #railfail #farefail #publicrail #railripoff #RailRevolution #failrail

Latest from Flickr

— bringbackbritishrail

    Petition

    We are the collective voice of disgruntled rail passengers and disheartened train employees, demanding a re-unified national rail network run for people not profit.

    Sign the petition now and join 54329 other supporters.

    Bring Back British Rail

    Read or Edit the Petition

    You can add formatting using markdown syntax - read more
     
    54,329 signatures

    Our Supporters

    • Privatisation is only progress, if you mean progressing towards an apocalypse of injustice. Bring back British Rail!

      Josie Long, comedian

    • The privatisation of the railways was a scandal that created an unworkable and expensive structure which should be replaced with a national unified network.

      Christian Wolmar, transport commentator

    • To be able to reduce C02 emissions, by persuading people to leave cars at home, we need a fast, efficient subsidised railway system that’s run for people not profit!

      Ellie Harrison, campaign founder

    • If the private companies that took over the national railways are cutting back and eroding services at a time when the climate crisis demands expanded low-carbon transportation alternatives to keep more of us out of planes, then these services too must be reclaimed.

      Naomi Klein, writer

    • In 1948 Labour nationalised rail to rebuild Britain after a world war. Today bankers and speculators use privatised trains for tax scams. Time to bring back British Rail.

      Alex Gordon, former RMT President

    • Privatisation of the railways has failed. Its time to make a virtue of public ownership, and the public service provided by state employees.

      Charles Secrett, The ACT! Alliance

    • Privatisation has delivered… a system in which train operators and energy firms compete not on service – but on how many tariffs they can bamboozle customers with.

      Aditya Chakrabortty, The Guardian

    • Taking our railways back from private profiteers will mean better services, fairer rail fares and more than £1 billion a year in savings for the public purse.

      Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP

    • Transport is an essential public service and ought to be publicly owned and publicly controlled. We need an enormous expansion in the investment in our railways and that is the best way of achieving it.

      Tony Benn, politician

    • East Coast shows us that publicly owned rail works better for passengers and taxpayers. We need a railway fit for the future – it’s got to be in public hands.

      Cat Hobbs, We Own It

    • At its heart privatisation in Britain was never about selling public networks but about selling the rights to tax those who are obliged to use them.

      James Meek, writer

    • Only a publicly owned railway can deliver affordable fares, good services, high customer satisfaction, properly staffed stations and a profitable return to the public purse.

      Charles Secrett, The ACT! Alliance

    • Now is the moment to re-nationalise the railways and it has never been cheaper or more possible.

      Andrew Gilligan, journalist

    • The UK public wants a publicly owned railway, and so do we. Lush calls for an end to the failed experiment of privatising essential services.

      Tamsin Omond, Lush Campaigns

    • Something as important and necessary (and enjoyable) as train travel should be in the hands of the people, be affordable and safe, not making money for shareholders.

      Nina Power, writer

    • Like most people in Britain, I think that a railway is a natural function of the state, and so ought to be run by the state – for the sake of coherence, transparency, continuity, accountability and national pride.

      Andrew Martin, writer

    • Let’s make the case for democratic social ownership, fit for the 21st century, ensuring our railways are run in the interests of passengers, not profiteers.

      Owen Jones, writer

    • Research into privatisation… boils down to one key finding: the only way Branson and the vast majority of train barons make their profits is through handouts from the taxpayer.

      Aditya Chakrabortty, The Guardian

    • There is no good excuse left for rail privatisation beyond enriching wealthy elites. Public ownership delivers for social and environmental needs over private profit.

      Professor Andrew Cumbers, University of Glasgow

    • A good public transport system should be the foundation of a fair, just, happy, low-carbon world.

      Ellie Harrison, campaign founder

    Products

    • Bumper Sticker Bumper Sticker £3.00
    • Enamel Badge Enamel Badge £6.00
    • Rail Card Wallet Rail Card Wallet £4.00

    Bring Back British Rail is coordinated from Glasgow by Ellie Harrison, with the help of a small network of volunteers around the UK.
    The campaign operates as a ‘non-charitable campaigning body’ and so is free to carry out political activity and act as a pressure group.
    It aims to be a completely autonomous and transparent passenger-led organisation, which has no direct affiliation with any political parties.
    Accounts | Privacy Policy | Press & Media Enquiries: info@bringbackbritishrail.org

    Bring Back British Rail logo / identity designed by Fraser Muggeridge. Website by Neil Scott.