The public railways should never have been sold off. It equates to theft from the public, asset stripping to support the profligacy of the Right.

Dilys Hadley, Exmouth

I’d love to see the old 91s and also the old locos back and also nice to see some new BR AC/DC locos.

Luca Jeffery, Rotherham

The public should not pay fares until trains are from this century and they have adequate space for the relevant number of passengers at the right time of day.

Ray Durie, Liverpool

They are ripping us off.

Sheepa Ahmed, London

A profitable asset for the UK not shareholders.

Rob Bowles, Manchester

Ever since it was privatised the cost to us has gone up, while the rail companies rake in millions in profits and subsidies for keeping it in shape. It shouldn’t be allowed.

Christina Sosseh, Milton Keynes

It seems absurd that that which belonged to us was taken away, without thought or consideration! Now very few of us can access regular rail travel because we can’t afford it.

Dave Bray, Maidstone

Serco has been shown time and time over to be unreliable at operating public services and should be stripped of this franchise immediately along with Abellio.

George Grace, Liverpool

We need our railways brought back on track. Privatising the railway has not worked.

Sam Pinington, Blackpool

The railways need investment. Yes. They used to get it. But it was described as financial losses. Now they get money poured into them to guarantee profits. That is a loss.

John Stead, Sunderland

We used to lead now we can’t even follow.

Bernard Fraser, Thorne, Doncaster

The railways should serve the people, not Network Rail directors.

Ray Watson, Westerham

Privatisation benefited the very people who controlled the government that was in power at the time and we are now sadly seeing the results.

Mike Friend

We need a unified nationalised railway.

Liz Annetts, Derby

When the cost of tickets keeps going up so that the shareholders can have a pay-out each year, the services are getting no better. It is time it was run by one body.

Brian Armstrong, London

Bring back our system.

Mavis Orwin, Chesterfield

It is the right thing to do.

Carol Sage, Alfreton

As a seventy three year old, having worked for British Rail, I feel that the privatisation of the railways was a retrograde step.

Colin Crockett, York

The most expensive and poorly run service in Europe and we’re trying to get people off the roads. It’s never going to happen with such a miserable rail experience that we have.

Karen Reeve, Bedford

The reasons that applied at the end of World War Two for the nationalisation of the railways are re-emerging. Bad organisation and duplication are rife.

Paul Taylor, Manchester

The 60s governments got it wrong and the Tories got it wrong in the 90s. We need publicly-run cost-effective railways, not to subsidise private firms to rip us off.

Alf Littler, Kidlington

It makes sense.

Eric Sargeant, Derby

Trains are too expensive. The railway is needed by everyone so should be kept cheap and not run as a private profit-making business.

David Harney, Bromley

We need a national railway network that the whole nation can be proud of – not the shambolic mess that we have now.

Richard Smith, Bungay

Unified operations, coherent fares please.

J Anslow, Manchester

Drop profit just for the rich and bring back common sense and good service.

Carolynne Coulson, Stokesley

We need a railway that is publicly owned and internationally integrated so we can get rid of the obstructive security rules for the Channel Tunnel.

Timothy Baldwin

I’m totally disgusted that Virgin and Stagecoach will be taking over the running of East Coast Trains. It’s all downhill from now.

Elizabeth Moffat, Nottingham

BR belonged to the whole nation, a national asset belonging to all of us which was sold off by an inhumane government.

Charles Batten, London

First help stop HS2 by pushing the cheaper alternatives for a high-speed network, regional connectivity and GB Freight. This would be supported by voters and passengers.

John Miles Palmer, Stoke-on-Trent