The system is far too complicated and expensive.

Andy Elliott, Belfast

If the East Coast rail line can positively contribute to the public purse why can’t others?

Bill Hush, Edinburgh

Yes, there where issues with BR, but they were trying to improve the service and, after the hugely popular InterCity 125, things were turning round but then randomly sold off.

Alex Lewis, Wales

Railways in the south need to be brought back into public ownership.

Steve Dewey, London

Please get rid of this impenetrable system that serves no-one. It’s supposed to be a major transport system for a whole country and so it should be in the hands of the government.

Christina Richardson, Seaford

A national rail system needs to be restored. How Michael Portillo has the nerve to go on European rail journeys and extol the virtues of their systems.

Mark Cowley, Liverpool

My family worked for BR it was far better.

Kevin Price, Johnstone

It wouldn’t cost anything to take franchises back into national ownership when they end, saving the government at least £2 billion in subsidies.

David Sterratt

Privatisation of trains has patently not worked.

Annette Lenton, Sussex

I understand what you mean but I dislike the British Rail tag. Let’s aim a little higher than that.

Maggie Lewis, Waltham-on-the-Wolds

Our rail and utility companies should never have been sold off in the first place.

Dawn Chamberlain, Liskeard

Only the corporations that own the railways can now afford to buy their staff tickets to commute to work on the railways. Do please give us our railways back.

Marek Kazmierski, London

National economic assets such as the UK rail network should be owned by the people via public sector enterprises.

Edwin Nelson

Only nationalisation of our rail services can guarantee effective services and costings.

Donald Watson, Durham

An efficient Rail network should be provided as a nationalised industry, not through a privatised mechanism, with profit at the expense of the fare-paying public.

Ian Nutbrown, York

It should never have been sold off and has never been successful. Bring back to public ownership and start the freight and post going by rail again.

Susan Cole, North Shields

I totally agree with this. Get rid of the shambles that is the present system. I’m a steam enthusiast and would love to see some real British heritage brought back.

Matt Egerton, Manchester

Wonderful campaign.

Conor Owens, Enniskillen

We need the railways to be brought back into the public ownership now.

Mick Brady, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

It is time to bring back the railways and put profit back into the economy instead if it going into fat cat pockets.

Peter Schofield, Barnsley

I think the public not-for-profit company which ran the East Coast line should have been allowed to bid when the contract came up for renewal.

Peter Wiltsher, Stratford-upon-Avon

Returning our railways to national ownership is the only safe way to provide a good train service for everyone.

Jenny Haylock, Brighton

Yet again, TP train terminated early and so I missed local connecting train. 6/6 journeys in the past year.

Carla Keegans

Service for the benefit of the people, not for the profit of minority.

Douglas Thain, Dundee

It should never have been privatised.

Govinda Dickman, Bristol

We need to take British Rail back now. Privatisation has not worked and is costing the taxpayer and users far more.

Mavis Childs, Swindon

The East Coast line appears to have been running remarkably well as it is.

Michael Taylor, York

You have my support.

Matthew Cockroft, Portsmouth

Think about the travelling public, not shareholders for a change.

Harry Hansen, London

There is no logical reason not to return the railways to public ownership, run like a business, to keep tickets economical and benefit the travelling public.

Nigel Holmes, Hull