Railway transport is essential, especially for those of us who don’t drive polluting cars. Let’s have our railways back as a service to the people, not owned by money men.

Paul Allen, Bournemouth

Now more than ever, we need a publicly-owned, properly integrated railway system that puts passengers and the environment first, rather than private profit.

Tom Watts, St Neots

There was more efficient running of trains back then and there were proper locomotives.

Jacob Colclough, Stoke-on-Trent

Cramming passengers into undersized carriages and providing an awful service whilst making millions for shareholders is unacceptable.

Paul Ahdal

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

I love Virgin who have the west coast franchise. Their service is excellent – trains comfortable and staff outstanding. However, the rest is a mess.

Hazel Mayamba-Kasongo, Chester

Bring back British Rail. Privatisation has been a disaster.

Ethan Lane, Kilmington

I’m bored with paying to run Europe’s rail network with the profits from ours.

Andrew Stock, Colchester

I’m a regular user of East Coast franchise since 2010 and it’s head-and-shoulders above the rest for service and value for public. Re-nationalise natural monopolies.

Suhail Iqbal, Edinburgh

I am a regular passenger and I hate the word ‘customer’!

Andy Vaughan

Inconsistent brand identity and decentralised control create confusion for customers and overheads for train operating companies.

Andrew Marsden, Bath

Railways massively supported the war effort but were never adequately recognised or rewarded in the 20th century. They are a public service.

Kieran Fitzsimons, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Rail should be a national asset, not a money tree for private enterprise.

Peter Dobson, Whitley Bay

All essentials, transport, education, health and energy, should be nationally-owned concerns.

Antoinette Sym, London

As a railwayman’s daughter, I want to see a return to passenger care, sensible ticket pricing, employees proud to be employed by a new BR with good conditions and pay.

Audrey Campbell, Maybole

We need you British Rail.

Jeff Taylor

I love train, found it, as a fun way to travel.

Leonor Fontanilla De Aur

The privatised railways are a total mess. Re-nationalise and run them as a public service, like, say, the roads.

Hywel Phillips, Reading

Privatisation does not work, other than for shareholders.

Hilary Wicks, York

Finally, a group has the courage to say what many are thinking.

Michael Lotinga, Bristol

Time to get value for the daily commute. That’s the way to go.

Charlotte Fregona, Harpenden

Stop the rip-off!

Spencer Preece, Hereford

I believe rail transport should be run as a joined-up service and this should be funded out of general taxation.

Anthony Oatham, Epping

Privatisation has been a disaster. Let the state run the railways – they did a much better job.

Barbara Webb, York

Bring it back but make it the John Lewis method, where everyone is equal.

Fraser Henderson, London

Re-nationalise British Rail.

Alan Hughes, Oxford

Any country which can’t run its own rail network effectively has no business telling others how to run their affairs.

Dominic Hipkins, Preston

It, like a lot of other publicly-owned companies, should never have been sold off to start with.

Maureen Sharpe, Bradford

Follow the East Coast example and make profit for the taxpayer.

Kenneth Mudd, Guisborough

I’m sick to death of funding shareholders’ lifestyle over service.

Damian Toal, Brighton