Privatisation has not worked. It is only the Conservative ideology behind this matter.

William Hunter, Hartlepool

It should never have been sold off in the first place, Give it back to the people.

Ian Clark, Aylesbury

We have outdated trains, poor performance and franchises being allowed to bid for routes they have previously handed back (National Express and East Coast).

Gareth Valentine-Saunders, Ripon

The main routes carrying the most passengers have deteriorated since privatisation.

Roger Oliver Lewis

I would like to bring back British Rail, as it will then be affordable for all and be a massive tourism boost. We would have a decent rail system like other countries.

Sarah Shahid, Sheffield

The privatisation of our railways hasn’t worked. All the profits have been siphoned off to shareholders and not back into where it should be – education, health, social care.

Paul Chester, Leeds

Southern Rail are hopeless, useless and a total disgrace. They charge the highest fares in Europe yet providing the most awful and unreliable service.

Ruth Sanchez, Brighton

Free market capitalism is not the answer to everything and is certainly not the optimal solution to how a country should provide essential services to its population.

Cristian Gurran, Rotherham

BR was better than we have now, and affordable and reliable. It was fantastic. Bring back BR.

C C, Lincoln

We deserve a proper, integrated railway system run for people not profit

Jack Coy, Sheffield

As an ex-pat I still support this cause. The rot started with Beeching and was compounded by Thatcher. Tory hierarchs are the enemies of the people.

Nick Telfer, Tignes, France

Bring back British Rail. All is forgiven.

Andrew Green, Swansea

Train services are less reliable and more expensive than 100 years ago. How can the madness of HS2/3 be considered before a proper joined-up rail service for all?

David Partner, Frome

Privatised BR – one big transfer of taxpayers’ money into private hands.

Peter Hethershaw, Sheffield

Bring back BR for public accountability to passengers who are also taxpayers, instead of having to satisfy the pockets of shareholders and speculators.

Richard Palmer, London

Railways are a public service and, as such, should be publicly owned.

Leigh Stenson, Stockton-on-Tees

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

Jasmin Crosbie, Carlisle

The rail network does not work under privatisation and needs to be taken back into our hands, run for commuters not profiteers.

Dot Walker, Maldon

The day of the corporation must end. A corporation has human rights now and everything is done out of greed. What was owned by the people should stay with the people.

Grande Briggs-White, Southampton

Civilised societies run transport, health, education etc. as services, not opportunities for private profit.

Rebecca Michel, Exeter

It sounded like a good idea in theory 30 years ago, but politicians need to admit it has failed in practice.

Antoine Sud, Wimbledon

Rail privatisation has been a disaster except for a few company directors and other major shareholders.

Alan Campbell, Balerno

Major infrastructure components such as all of the rail network should be nationally owned and operated.

Andrew Moore, Enfield

Let’s do it now.

Robert Coleman, Liverpool

Even more important is to protect and improve our bus services, which are being directly attacked by the government, especially in rural areas.

Simon Norton, Cambridge

Return railways into public hands, so that profits can be returned to the railways to improve services rather than the money going to shareholders.

Allen Teare, Bishop Auckland

The first of many re-nationalisation processes, I hope.

Pete Northcott, Cambridge

Open more branch lines too, and forget high speed trains with massive costs. Just arriving on time is OK.

W S Stevenson, Weymouth,

Prices up, service down. Now is the time to turn around.

Carol Lindsay, Kilconquhar

I understand that even with the pressure of having to prepare for privatisation, British Rail still scored more on performance indicators than current companies. Re-nationalise.

Shirley Jones, Northampton