A publicly-run system can aim subsidy at fare reduction and infrastructure. As it is, shareholders take large chunks for whatever excessive profit is currently expected.

Roger Allen, London

They should never have been privatised in the first place, and when BR comes back into public ownership, start the process of bringing the buses back.

Thomas Saunders, Ashington

Private companies take profit and run down quality. Nothing has ever been as good as British Rail.

Frances Jones, Perthshire

Privatisation has done absolutely nothing for rail passengers, other than constantly increase fares.

Amanda Hunter, Grange-over-Sands

Certain things in our society are done best where the ethos of ‘public service’ is paramount, not first making profit so we need to think back to the British Rail of late 80’s.

Stuart Elms, Worthing

I rode BR Deltics as a child every weekend with my grandmother, from Luton to St. Pancras.

Shannon Cream, Long Beach, California

Re-nationalise the railways and stop the sale of our assets to the rich.

Rachael Milling, Ambleside

We all criticised British Rail when it was running the railways but, after privatisation, look at the expensive mess it’s in now.

Chris Randall, Twickenham

It will be cheaper all told. Private companies have wasted too much taxpayers’ money.

Peter Gilbert, Newark

Bring it back and let’s run the service for all the people and not for the profits for a few. Think of what good all that money could do for the industry and more.

Steve Fishwick, London

You must drastically improve all public transport. British Railways should be amongst the best in the world.

Richard Hunter, Pontefract

As a Retired BR employee of the Eastern Region DCE. (Divisional Civil Engineers Department) in Colchester, Essex, I knew that privatising BR wouldn’t work.

William Featherstone, Argyll

People before profit’ says it all. Rail network is crucial for the nation on so many different levels. We can’t leave it up to companies whose only concern is the bottom line.

Sarah Dewing, Epsom

Why should we give billions to companies to run railways when we can own it and make a profit for the nation.

M Smith, Leeds

I believe in an integrated system that is owned by the government, not a fragmented railway.

Stuart Anderson, Nuneaton

The railways should be run for the benefit of people, not profiteering shareholders. Nothing has improved since privatisation, except their bank balances.

Christine Butler, Mansfield

It’s terrible. I take so many train journeys a year and it’s all Virgin Trains – so expensive.

Yasser Sheikh, High Wycombe

Occasional rail user thoroughly hacked-off by rail company profiteering.

Paul Foden, Plymouth

Why are our rail fares so high compared to the rest of Europe, especially as the Government is still pretty much funding it all?

Kay Harrison, Loudwater

It should be back to government control. There are too many privateers and profit-seekers.

Jim Pryce, Asfordby

This is so obvious it hurts.

Ian Cumpstey, Penrith

SWT is unreliable. Some delays are unavoidable but management of delays is non-existent and there seem to be an increasing number of delays caused by lack of investment.

Dominic Benson, Surbiton

For the love of God, get our social infrastructure away from these foul spivs! No more privatisation of anything, you avaricious bastards!

Elizabeth Rogerson, Glasgow

I fully support your cause. There are too many money grabbing folk in jobs they know nothing about.

Davie Root, Cambridge

Take away control from the people who have assumed too much control and give it back to the people who have earned it.

Valerie Campbell, Gosport

Time to undo.

David Cole, London

I witnessed the birth of British Railways in 1948 and long to see it return to serve Britain.

Bernard Harrison, London

I’m tired of monopolists extorting from me over an essential service.

Nicholas Simcik Arese, Oxford

Our railway is not a service but a travesty. As usual it’s only about money and not about service.

Jennifer Oatley, Devizes