Network Rail cannot run trains or do any engineering so I’m not quite sure what they do.

Anthony Duggan, Bromley

I first visited UK in 1974 when British Rail were still operating. Any similarities between service and comfort then and now are non-existent.

Glen Postle, Toowoomba, Australia

Why are my taxes going towards subsidising private companies? Our taxes should be spent for the benefit of us all, and not on a few fat cat exploiters.

Peter Howard, London

Bring back a publicly-owned and run national rail service.

Greg Logan, Kirkcaldy

You’ve tried I and it’s failed. Now admit it and return it to state-owned.

Mark Sharman, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

The current situation is appalling. When I was a youngster I wouldn’t hesitate to get the train to London, but I need an extension on the mortgage to go now.

Paul Davies

My TOC is Southern and they are the worst in the world. They’re skimming off dividends for their non-UK parent companies’ shareholders coming from public paid subsidies.

James Baker, London

I’m tired of expensive rail travel.

Georgy Davis, Edinburgh

It’s disgraceful that private rail still receives government subsidies. So re-nationalise rail and subsidise it properly.

Sheila Gray, Middlesbrough

We keep subsidising failed private rail companies. Why? Nationalise.

Glenn Dove, Manchester

SNCF, DB, SNCB, rail in Denmark, the Netherlands etc. All work very well, are bang up-to-date, and are cheaper, with plenty of investment and modernisation. Why not BR?

Tim Perry, London

Please let it happen soon and for all those poor people to get a seat.

David Weston, Bodmin

Check out the pathetic rail service in North Wales. Who cares?

Sue McCall, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll

So we gave it a go and it failed us all. Bring back British Rail.

Jamie Robertson, London

British Rail was a functioning service. The new system is hopeless and unreliable.

Anna Scheer, Melbourne, Australia

We need an integrated rail system in our small country.

Michael Crawley, Altrincham

I love travelling by train but I can’t afford it. If you are serious about the environment then make train travel affordable – by bringing back British Rail.

Gill Ashton, Chesterfield

I hate foreign ownership of our trains.

Lily Wiles, London

Major’s railway rip-off was made in a hurry to provide his backers with juicy public assets before the Tories went into their Long Good Night. It’s time to take them back.

Michael Brackenbury, Ely

I remember old Beeching, the beginning of the demise of the British Rail network, and it’s even worse now.

Malcolm Halliday, Exeter

Re-nationalise now.

Elfyn Griffith, Bristol

The privatised railways make no sense for the passenger. Companies and managers make huge profits whilst passengers, taxpayers and workers are ripped off.

Mat Fleming

I am continually ripped off planning trips and visiting places even with a railcard. It is almost cheaper driving these days.

Aaron Law

Proletariats should unite wherever.

Hayden Sellick, Newton Abbot

Public lines run better than private. Private lines getting large subsidies and commuters being ripped off. What is the point?

Neil Sloan, Nottingham

Privatisation has been a disaster for ordinary people. It should not be for profit of shareholders but for reinvestment in rail.

John Rimmer, York

How can this fragmented, disorganised system give value for money to the taxpayers supporting and passengers using it, when so much is spent on administration and profits?

Robin Atkins, Weymouth

Rail travel is too important to people and to the economy to be left in the hands of profit-driven companies.

Phil Teer, Brighton

Crippling our economy with poor and over-priced transport systems is not how the UK should be treated. My wife has to pay over 10% of her salary for her train ticket.

Dimitri Stama, London