It should never have been sold off in the first place.

Keith Hitchings, Queenborough

The UK tax payer has subsidised rail companies by £102.68billion since 1985, together with rail fare increases of up to 300% since 2004. It’s a disgrace.

Cyril Fitzgerald, Pontypool

We’ve spent more taxpayers’ money on the railways under privatisation than at any other time in railway history and it’s just lining shareholders’ pockets.

Mark Hansen, London

Bring back British Rail. All is forgiven.

Andrew Green, Swansea

It makes sense on so many counts.

John Dady, Enfield

They should never have been privatised in the first place. But beware of legislation that would globally prevent this.

Mel Thomas, Blaenau Ffestiniog

Bring back value for money and a reliable service of yesterday and stop the profit making short cuts of today.

Brian White, Doncaster

It just proves that privatisation does not work.

John White, Loughton

The railways are too much an important part of our infrastructure to trust to private companies – viz the GNER and National Express debacle on the East Coast mainline.

Tom Carr, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Franchising doesn’t work. How can operators on different routes provide competition? Thatcher idiocy.

Ged Moore, Jarrow

The irony of having other EU governments owning UK railways (inter alia) seems to have escaped the privateers.

Ron Thomson, Glasgow

Time to stop pandering to the failed markets and letting foreign government-backed organisations buy our railway.

Raymond Howells, Dinnington

I’ve finally reached the end of my tether with trains recently. I’ve always used them because they were greener, cheaper and pleasant. Not any more. Just too expensive.

Sally Brown, Leeds

I frequently travel by train and have witnessed standards and services reduce as prices increase. The trains should be run as a not-for-profit service for everyone.

Dawn Woolley, Cardiff

Privatisation has cost the taxpayer far more than BR would have done.

Nick Sadler, Bristol

The railway costs the public more than ever, for a bad service. Let the franchises run out, and revert to the state to build up a service for the public, not shareholders.

Peter Moss, Birmingham

Prices are too high and very poor service with blocked toilets. Bring back British Rail now.

David Marc Owen, Bangor

We need to stop giving money to the private sector. They are rich enough.

Sandra Brierley, Manchester

I really hate the waste that goes on in huge areas of the railway industry today.

Pauline Stephens

It is so important for us to re-unify British Rail. We should be able to get around on our train services and leave the roads for people who choose to use them.

Victor Jackson, Chesterfield

A public service, run by the government for the people without profit – now that is progress.

Karen Riley, Matlock

Let’s go back to British Rail and reclaim rail services for the British public now.

Lorna Cameron, Leeds

Let’s go back to being passengers again, served by a railway service for the good of all.

Rob Wardleworth, London

Privatisation has been an absolute disaster. It’s time to run the railways for people, not profits for a few. I am embarrassed when I go abroad and see their railway systems.

Evelyn Welsh, Prestwick

I retired after 39 years. I’ve mixed feelings. I joined British Rail but retired when my employer was GNER and was very happy with the package and a wonderful retirement party.

Denise Shell, Malta

Trains should be simple and affordable. They are currently complicated and unfairly priced.

Matthew Nation, Birmingham

Privatisation was just a con and a rip-off of public funds. Let’s see an end to it.

Stephen Field, Warwick

It really does just seem the sensible option when so many rail companies offer such a poor service and unpredictable prices.

Albert Clauson, London

The present system is crazy.

David Cook, Oakham