Railways should be run as a public service, to complement other transport and logistics, not compete with them. Funding also needs to be protected from government whims.

Robert Barry, Forest Gate, London

Privatisation equals rip-off.

Jean McAulay, Brechin

Time to end this profiteering. Free markets are proving themselves an unsuitable way to run basic public infrastructure, as one would expect when the market is captive.

Tim Gomersall, Leeds

Enough of the experiment – it has comprehensively failed abysmally. Return the railroads to the customers.

Nik Walker, Preston

East Coast is better now than it has been for years.

Timothy Wilson, Dundee

A terrible idea to privatise in the first place. Please re-nationalise for the sake of the British people.

Christian Chess, Chippenham

Bring back BR. Fares are a joke. Why can’t they stop putting up fares every January?

Michael Kemp, Woolpit

I would like to see our great British rail network back in the hands of the people. All the other private companies have failed. Prices are ridiculously high and unfair.

Chris Helme, York

Time for separate rail networks to re-unite under one flag.

Robin Squelch, Stockport

One or more members of my family have been commuting using trains regularly since 2000 and we are all desperate for a joined-up, reasonably-priced railway system.

Jane Ginsborg, Sheffield

British Rail ought to be brought back for passenger trains in England, Wales and Scotland.

Frank Nicholas Adam

East Coast Line is making money for the country.

Sonia Drewery, Loughborough

It just makes sense. We must retain ownership of such a vital and important piece of infrastructure.

James Cox

Fare price rises and bad service. Clearly it needs to be nationalised.

Sian Thornton, Peterborough

The railways are a complete joke. We need action as soon as possible. Worst railway in the world. How much more money can you bleed from the public pockets?

Nicky Edwards, St Albans

If only the amount of money wasted currently had been available to British Rail. We would truly have a world class railway.

John Walton, Kirkby Stephen

It is cheaper and more efficient to maintain a nationalised railway. All the evidence says so.

Harry Wise, London

I’m fed up with expensive, overcrowded, unreliable dirty trains. I pay hundreds of pounds a month for a service that I cannot rely upon and is more expensive than driving.

Samantha Wright, Leeds

The only thing that has improved since privatisation is the food – and then only on some trains.

Karen Murdarasi, Glasgow

I’m very happy to find this petition with details upon the rear cover of an issue of Private Eye magazine. Good luck with the campaign.

Martin Howard, Liskeard

I believe the public needs to have a greater say in the running of the railways so it should return to British Rail.

Jackie Lewin, Norwich

Too many people can no longer afford to use the railways. The prices are the most expensive in Europe. Profits should be for British people.

Mike Watkins, Chirbury

Reduce road traffic and fumes. Re-nationalise the rail industry and make trains affordable and efficient.

Jean Smith, Brentwood

The huge amount of profit that these privatised rail companies make is ridiculous, yet they still put up prices by as much as they can get away with each year.

Peter Horton, Twickenham

Reverse the idiocracy.

Simon Edwards, Stoke-on-Trent

You will put a lot of people out of work and shatter people’s lives. Keep it as East Coast please.

Shelley Beckett, South Shields

Private rail networks are not better than a nationalised service. There’s just more coffee shops at the stations.

Susan Chambers, Edinburgh

Reliable service and fares that are fair and easy to work out.

Carol Spicer, Nottingham

Bring back British Rail.

Ashutosh Pandey, Glastonbury

The railways should be owned by us and any profits reinvested into upgrading the system.

Linda Poulter, Leeds