The privatisation of BR was a criminal destruction of a well-functioning railway system for the stupidest ideological reasons and has been a disaster for Britain.

Francis Nixon, Marton, New Zealand

Can we have normal fares, instead of being ripped off by private companies?

Paul Burrows, West Wickham

It’s a public service and should pay for itself, but huge profits – why?

Jasmin Crosbie, Carlisle

Re-nationalise our railways now to stop the above inflation fare rises!

Thomas John Wheeler, Dyfed

Profits for services, not for shareholders.

Andy Charles, Dursley

It makes economic, social and environmental sense to have the railways run for our benefit again. Why wouldn’t you?

Ian Potter, Sheffield

If rail fares continue to increase at this rate, I won’t be able to afford to travel on the network. Therefore I will no longer be able to afford to go to work.

Malcolm Smith, London

Rail travel for people, not shareholders.

Mike Brotherton, Brighton

British Rail for the people. End privatisation and stop ripping of the British public.

Colin Herrick, Lincoln

It is disgraceful that an organisation that gets so much funding makes shareholders their priority rather than their customers.

Niall Campbell, Braintree

Return railways and service industries to public ownership, for the benefit of the people of the UK and not foreign-owned businesses.

Thomas Stacey, Ruthin

We must make sure that it is a new British Rail with the right people running it, not like the people we had before.

Ian Johnson, Selby

Nationalise the railways or lose the next election.

William Thompson, Burnham-on-Sea

It’s a disgusting state of affairs.

Jacqueline Kennett, Sidmouth

Britain needs a cohesive railway network run efficiently for the benefit of all, not the profit before service shambles we have now. Bring back British Rail.

John Garratt, Penzance

I want to own it to make it better, not pay some hedge fund to own it and pocket the profits and still be subsidised by me.

Chris Dommett, Cambridge

I would favour a re-nationalised rail network that allows easy connections between regions and puts people before profits.

James Brown, Llangollen

Over-priced, badly run, a shambles that is our railway system. Bring back a unified British Rail that is affordable and reliable.

Lena Shukla, London

It’s another thing that should never have been sold in the first place.

Adrienne Grimes, Leeds

You’d do better supporting the Green Party than Labour if you want this to happen.

Elizabeth Timms, St Neots

We need a centrally-planned, efficiently-run railway again, run for the benefit of the people, and no more foreign-run franchises or shambles electrification projects.

Daniel McCarty, Sunderland

East Coast, owned by a trust, returns the most money to the Treasury. Let’s roll out that model and bring back British Rail.

Matthew Hardy, London

We need a railway fit for the future. Privatisation is the only way.

Stephen Freeman, Sheffield

Bring back British Rail as it was the best the railway ever and best it has been for a long time.

Anthony Bonner, Ashford

If a national rail works in France, Spain, Italy and Germany, then why not here? Re-instate British Rail.

Jacinta Appleby, London

The British travelling public have been sold down the river by treacherous governments. Nationalise now.

Eric Lackford, Largs

we need consistent investment not rely on run down stock.uk railways are a joke compared with Europeans.

Cathy Scoffield, Barnstaple

It’s about time multimillionaires in parliament remembered they work for us. They don’t rule us. They should do something we want for once, not what their rich mates want.

Alan Fawcett, Stafford

Ellie Harrison’s staggering talk at Artquest conference this year has made me a passionate supporter of this great undertaking. Thank you.

Jade Montserrat, Scarborough

We pay our fares to get somewhere, not to fill directors’ and shareholders’ pockets. Because of high wages and dividends there is no money for improvement works.

Malcolm Judd, Romford