British Rail, so misunderstood, so unloved. They killed you

Thom Balla

Major infrastructure that people need day-to-day, such as rail and utilities, should not be left to money-grabbing companies. They’re too important.

Chantelle Cole, Liverpool

And get rid of that silly fare-structure which penalises people who do not know in advance that they wish to travel.

David Crossley, Welwyn

Not before time judging by the disastrous sea wall adventures over the last year.

Mick Bramich, South Brent

Public transport should be run for the benefit of users, not shareholders.

Ann Sheppard, Hexham

An affordable and reliable service, not for private profit.

Ruth Bennett, London

Privatisation is unstable and has cost the tax payer millions more than they should be paying and has created a poorer service. It is time to reverse the errors.

Simon Best, Leeds

Transport is a public necessity. Let the government make money on caviar.

Said Otmani, Croydon

Name a privatisation that has benefited the people.

Glen Gibb, Dunbar

Privatisation is not working. Why should our railway be in the hands of foreign state-owned organisations?

John Tooth, Stoke-on-Trent

End privatisation now.

Gennaro Gualtieri, London

I use the East Coast service fairly regularly and it is excellent. Please don’t privatise it.

Peter De Voil, Colsterworth

150 years of learning best practice of running a railway was thrown away at break-up. Absolute stupidity. Some people always think they know better.

Stephen Sparkes, Ulverston

British Rail wasn’t perfect but it was possible for different regions to talk to each other and co-ordinate operations for the benefit of the customer.

John Crowhurst, St. Albans

I just wish we could take over the franchises as they expire and run them, like East Coast. It works and it’s the cheapest way to get them back and then operate them.

Stephen Law, Stratford upon Avon

Privatisation is not working and we have the ridiculous situation whereby it is cheaper to run a car (with one occupant) than it is to make a rail journey.

Rebecca Gracey, Lewes

The current railway system does not offer effective competition or serve its customers well, while funds are creamed off for private profit.

Alan Boyland, Southam

The old British Rail service was preferable to the abject misery I get most weekends on my line.

Jason Fernee, Billericay

The public sector is the only credible and efficient owner of East Coast mainline since privatisation was forced on the system.

Rod Stapley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

The railway should not just be for the rich. It has been priced out of the ordinary person’s reach. It should never have been privatised. The only winners are the shareholders.

Angela Carter, Walton-on-Thames

Can anyone name just one privatisation that has improved things for those who originally owned it? I thought not.

Mike Sollitt, York

We now have a muddle of over 700 companies, thanks to a stupidly ideological form of privatisation that only benefits big business and foreign governments.

Martin Gough, Hertford

I do not believe in privatisation.

Derek Gould, Orpington

Bring back British Rail. It should be a publicly-owned company accountable to the public.

Claire Wade, Bromley

The East Coast ran very well recently and was making a profit. It didn’t need a private company to run it.

Maureen James, Northallerton

Enough of this franchise nonsense – just bring BR back.

Philip Dixon-Phillips, Ilford

These companies are virtual, so it wouldn’t cost much to take them back. Get on with it.

Francis Valentine, Edinburgh

I’m sick of being made late for work, dirty, uncomfortable trains and vastly overpriced fares that take a large and unfair chunk of my wages every month.

Dane Wotton, Hove

For-profit ownership of the rail service simply doesn’t work. In most rural areas there is zero competition, so zero incentive for improvements or price reductions.

Joseph Burnham, Sheringham