East Coast has worked fine under public ownership recently. Why change it?

Stuart Jones, Lincoln

No more rip-offs – by the people, for the people.

Gareth Brown, London

Transport should sensibly be a public service.

Barney Platts-Mills, Andover

Profit does not equal good service.

Chris Richardson, Gosport

We need a railway of the people, by the people, for the people – owned by the people, not a cash cow for capitalists.

David Spratt, Tavistock

The railways of this country have degenerated into a private, profit-driven mess. The franchisees do not care about passengers, only profit. Bring back British Rail.

Edward Turvey, Westcliff-on-Sea

Privatisation has been a total disaster, taking the public for a ride in quite the wrong way.

Neil Rhoden, Stromness

The Tory sell-off of the UK infrastructure has not worked. It’s time to get it back.

Glen Turner, Warrington

No to privatisation.

Henry Sherridan, Doncaster

Why stop running East Coast when it returned more than £1billion a year to the government? The new company will only give £3 billion in 8 years.

Wilma Elton, Edinburgh

Nationalise our railways!

Catherine Barnett, Hay-on-Wye

I resent the Conservatives handing over British Rail to their fat cat friends.

Zack Kahn, London

Re-nationalise the railways and make them better. There are too many top bosses getting crazy pay and bonuses which should be used to improve the network.

Steve Adie, Carlisle

I am embarrassed by the state of our British railways service. As a commuter I am robbed every year of more money to prop it up. We must nationalise now.

Lee O’Callaghan, Peterborough

Over the last year I’ve been unable to take the train when I’ve needed to due to cancellation, strikes and malfunctions. It’s insanely expensive too.

Thomas Butler, Horsham

Down with Southern.

Ethan Storey, Chichester

I’m too young to have remembered when the railways weren’t privatised but it sounds like a good idea.

Ben M H, Plymouth

Like all things that work better as a monopoly, it should be under common ownership.

Michael Dawson, South Shields

All rail revenues above cost should go back into the rail network, not fat cats’ pockets.

J Taylor, Swansea

Privatisation has gone too far. Distributism advocates that small companies be private, but large companies to be run by employees.

Daniel Rodger, Birmingham

Radical change is required.

Martin Whittle, Dawlish

Bring back British Rail. One major train company for the whole of the UK. No battles to be made to find the cheapest ticket with different rail operators.

Louise Long, Barking

Railways for people not private profit.

Martin Posner, Hastings

East Coast is a well run and efficient organisation, with helpful and friendly staff. Also it makes a healthy profit, more than Virgin and much more than First Great Western.

Leslie Allan, Whitley Bay

Let the franchises run to their end and then take them back without the need for compensation.

Michael Kirkman, York

The current situation allows no choice and therefore no competition, so it should be re-nationalised.

David Walmsley, Ossett

Yet another privatisation failure and rip-off.

Glyn Scott, Cardiff

As a young person who never experienced British Rail, I see it as a really positive thing for the country and would love to see it’s reestablishment.

Aaron o’Sullivan, Glenarm

We need a co-ordinated national network for the benefit of passengers and fright, with any profits going back into the network, not shareholders’ pockets.

Michael Nash, Fetcham

It’s about time we stop paying through the nose for sub-standard rail travel. Bring back British Rail and end this madness!

Chris Allen, London