The current railway system is a laughing stock.

Patrick Baker, Derby

I would like the government to justify its claim that our privatised railways are both more efficient and more cost-effective.

Edward Childs, Radlett

Learn from past mistakes, i.e. the previous privatisation didn’t work. Why repeat the exercise?

Sue Clark, London

We currently have a disjointed patchwork of private interests dictating the provision of rail services in accordance with the profit motive. I want to see a collectively owned system that is affordable to all!

Jonathan Brown, London

Bring back British Rail and end big profits for the worst service.

George Bryant, Redhill

The privatisation of British Rail was supposed to benefit the customer. What a laugh. In fact, the new owners are laughing all their way to the bank. Re-nationalise.

John Homer, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Whose Railways? Ours. Give back our railways.

Peter Sains, Bishop Auckland

Privatisation of any sort never benefits the service user, only the greedy shareholders.

Joan Bimson, Southport

This is long overdue. Even the Conservatives in many quarters agree that nationalisation is now the only way forward. Let’s get it back in public ownership and fix it.

Jamie Bolam Scott, Nottingham

Have one railway company, British Rail, for the safety and ease of travel that we should be able to expect.

Angela Brown, Haywards Heath

Affordable public transport is one of the easiest things you can do to help both the people who have the least and the environment.

Tom Berry, Market Rasen

Get rid of the fragmented, inefficient and unsafe privatised railway system.

Richard Church, London

Bring it back to the good old days when I was young and could afford to go by train all the time on low wages.

Brenda Baker, Chesterfield

The European example of a single, co-ordinated rail network puts ours to shame, apart from the excellent East Coast which should not be sold off to a private company.

John Casken, Rothbury

I lived in the UK until a month ago, and East Coast offers a much better service than all the other rail operators. I suspect it’s because it’s government-run, as BR was.

Leon Kennedy, Hong Kong

I used to travel everywhere by train to visit family and friends and for leisure but that feels like a distant memory now. It became too expensive.

Deborah Croker, Melksham

The Government already pays towards supporting the railways and is being fleeced by the companies that run it, so let’s get rid of all these free loading fat cats.

Peter Green, Cleethorpes

Trains in Suffolk are as rare as hens teeth.

Fred Vintner, Ipswich

I would like to see BR re-nationalised.

David Reed, Peterborough

We all knew privatisation was a bad idea so admit it and reverse it.

Shirley Corcoran, Liverpool

Bring back those days of friendly porters and talking passengers. Profits don’t matter as long as it all functions properly for the people by the people.

Tony Wainwright, Llanfyllin

I look for joined-up thinking on the railways where trains with enough seats for all can be achieved once more. With privatisation there’s no incentive.

Arthur Bostrom, Manchester

Railways should be run for the public as a service and not for mega profits for the rich.

Anthony Kelly, Derby

A nationalised railway is run for people. All profit should be ploughed back into improving the service.

Joan George, Beaconsfield

Re-nationalise immediately. The service is poor and the prices disgraceful.

Charlie Deeney, Derry

Back into public ownership now.

Robert Taylor, Barnsley

This is long overdue. Bring it back now.

Colin Bull, London

All services in the country should only be owned by the British people.

Roger Drion, Durham

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

First of all I’m really sick and tired of this privatisation as it is all about making profit, cramming in as many seats as possible and foreign-made trains.

Jason Leyton, London