Leaving East Coast Rail in public ownership would be a good start.

Jane Lyddon, Edinburgh

Everyone used to whinge about BR, but if only they had known how bad it would get after privatisation. We are subsidising it far more than when it was ours.

Reb Deacon, Gloucester

It’s been no good since privatisation.

Mervyn Collyer, Nottingham

Bring back British Rail. I’m tired of the poor service, dirty trains, unhelpful staff and expensive travel. You want us off the roads? Make our trains are better.

Asher Coleman, Lowestoft

It’s better not to use wording like “re-nationalise”. Include all utilities and bus companies. Make sure the latter run services co-ordinated with the rail system.

William Houston, Grange-over-Sands

Bring back British Rail.

Robert Worley, London

I want to bring back BR because the railways should be known as one and, as a trainspotter, it would be easier to use the railway.

Tyler Brace, Peterborough

Take the railways out of the private sector and put them back in the hands of the people, so it can be run in their interests and not the interests of greedy shareholders.

Martin Dixey, Wolverhampton

£369 Base rate fares? Nothing fair about it.

A W, Manchester

Privatisation has failed the passengers and serves only the shareholders of the rail companies. Re-nationalised and run efficiently East Coast line shows public success.

Simon Bell, Torpoint

The only way forward for our railways is in the public sector as a non profit company. No greedy shareholders and over-paid directors to cream off the profits.

Robin Lenox, Whippingham, Isle of Wight

We need better control of our rail systems as we had before they were made private. Also more local railway stations.

Joseph Morris, Leeds

If we are subsidising a railway, should we not own and control it?

Malcolm Young, Sittingbourne

Needs to be re-nationalised.

Billy Seasman, Liverpool

There should be a national free integrated public transport service, and all long distance freight should be by train only. Funded by the taxpayer, for the taxpayer.

Philip Stonehouse, Sheffield

My dad told me, 45 years ago, that I owned a little bit of every blue train. In my 20s you sold them without asking me. Please give them back.

Pete Harry Shuttleworth, Lincoln

It’s cheaper for me to fly on a return trip to Berlin than it is to go from Stockport to London. There is something wrong here.

Faisal Qureshi, Cheadle

Northern Rail – what a rip off.

Anthony Webster, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Best of British luck.

Simon Cuthbert, Halifax

British Rail was a far better, better value and safer service than the current regime.

Nigel Wootton, Hitchin

Privatisation was just failed dogma. Be sensible, reverse it.

Paul Williams, London

It would be great to also see improvements to rolling stock used on regional services like here on the Carlisle to Newcastle line.

Mike Domingue, Hexham

Stop the fares rip-off. I would use trains if fares were affordable. Put freight back on the railway and take it off the motorways.

David King, Exeter

The privatised system is expensive and pointless.

Steve Rogers, Totnes

Re-nationalise British Rail.

Alan Hughes, Oxford

The railways, like so many other things, should be run for the benefit of all the citizens of this country and not to make already rich people even richer.

Graham Symms, Broughton

Do it for the good of the people, not for private profit.

Bobby Webb, Manchester

Enough of the price hikes, let’s get working together on a publicly-owned service for the benefit of the nation.

Ron Lofkin, Gateshead

Nationalise everything. I’m sick to death with being ripped off.

Ryab Nicholson, Goole