I actually use the train more in Holland than the UK. It is terrible to think that the Dutch trains are so efficient because they are subsidised by their running UK trains.

Stuart Thomson, Glasgow

Other EU countries have it so much better, so why can’t we?

Simon McDonagh, Lewes

I saw this in today’s “Grauniad.” Good on you, Ellie.

Richard Wakeford, Cambridge

I use trains to travel from home (Swansea) to university (Hull). It would be so much cheaper, easier and more straightforward under a nationalised system.

Rhodri Williams, Swansea

Rail travel is an essential part of daily life for lots of us and I believe that this service should be nationalised and focus on service not profit.

Michelle Bates, Leeds

Bring back British Rail has my support.

David Moore, Banbury

Service before profit, not vice versa.

Kevin Mallam, Middlesbrough

It’s about time that railways become publicly owned, to keep control of the cost and we massively need to improve the quality and culture of travelling.

Ali Newton, Warminster

We must make sure that it is a new British Rail with the right people running it, not like the people we had before.

Ian Johnson, Selby

Its time to stop the subsidies, for fat cats and share holders at the expense of the tax payer.

David Smith, Weston-super-Mare

Let’s have a public service with trains late into the night with as much subsidy as the privatised services get.

Richard Muncey, Birmingham

I have thought for years that BR should never have been privatised. See Private Eye for our messed-up railways.

Hilary Warr, Holmes Chapel

Transport should not be run to make a profit for shareholders. Any profit should be used to maintain and upgrade.

Jill Caretto, Harlow

The Rail network should never have been privatised. It was politically motivated and has been a massive failure.

Nick Hopkinson, York

We have no rail left in southwest Scotland. Bring back British Rail and re-open old networks.

Cecilia Franklin, Gatehouse

Privatised rail is a costly failure. Publicly-owned East Coast shows it can be done better. End franchising and bring rail back into public hands.

Rob Jewitt, Alnwick

I don’t believe in privatisation and never did.

Hugh Sharp, Cramlington

Power to the commuters and not the shareholders. Currently all profits go to shareholders and not back into the railway. It’s so subsidised it might as well be re-nationalised.

Ian Broadbent, Bristol

It is confusing and lacks continuity and consistency, especially to those from overseas, as I was after 30 years away. Organised chaos with everyone passing the buck.

Celia Williams, Norwich

If Germany can run a great publicly-owned transport system then so can Britain.

Adam Hiley, Upminster, Essex

Despite the curly sandwiches, they still provide a cheaper and more efficient service.

Charlie Sutherland-Boyce, Livingston

The East Coast line is making a profit and receiving less subsidy in state hands than it did when private. A good model for re-nationalisation.

John Howe, Cardiff

I believe in nationalised railways to make them fairer for all users.

James Paton, Manchester

An efficient and affordable train service is vital for the economic well-being of the country.

Nicholas Burman-Vince, London

It’s the worst value rail system in the world.

Andy Bond, Edinburgh

I have been a rail user all my life and have never seen the system improve, not one bit, in any way and most of my use has been since privatisation.

Tom Black, Oxford

The railways should be available to everyone, and serve every part of the country. They should not be another way for a handful of already rich people to get even richer.

Elizabeth Cleere, Rye

Normal rail is quite honestly awful. Bringing back British Rail would be great, so yeah, signing this.

Bryn Thomas, Truro

Railways, like many national services, should be run and owned by the state. We used to have the best railway in the world, which was chopped up and spoiled.

Mike Gotteri, Sheffield

Re-nationalise the railways and the utilities. Prosecute the spivs!

Bill Pearson, London