BR was privatised for one reason only – to take infrastructure owned by the people and put it into the hands of the bankers and fat cats like Branson – total greed!

David Latimer, Minehead

One operator would make it easier when you require assistance. Wheelchair spaces vary in size on different operators.

Pablo Rees, Swansea

Our transport system is too important to be left in the hands of numerous disparate companies whose only loyalty is to their shareholders.

Gordon Anderson, Aberdeen

Shareholder dividends put up the price of rail fares.

Elizabeth Waterston, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

The privatised railways in Britain are a joke. They are unaffordable, dirty, poor quality. Take them back into public ownership

Nick Chamberlin, Stockport

Current TOCs are incompetent.

Peter Frampton, Manchester

I don’t want to bring back the British Rail as was – but a modern British Rail which puts quality, safety and comfort first, not profit. The current system is crap.

Jon Waring, York

Bring back British Rail. Privatisation isn’t working.

Philip Kingston, Woking

It is totally ludicrous that taxpayers fund the profits of the privatised rail system. We are not a charity for the rich.

Susanna Farley, New Cross

This will be the deciding factor of my vote in the next general election.

Joe Romero, Billericay

I prefer BR to be re-nationalised, because in other EU countries the railways are state-owned.

Jonathan Wang, Liverpool

Privatisation is the worst thing to have happened. We have ever increasing fares (above inflation) and overcrowding. There’s profiteering beyond acceptable levels.

Steve Horton, Erith

It’s a disgrace at present.

Steve Barrett, Nottingham

You only realise how good something is when you lose it!

John Michael Swarbrick, Leyland

It’s the obvious fix. Lower prices, better service and better benefits for employees as well as the customer. It’s a no-brainer.

Reece Hancock, Brighton

Only the corporations that own the railways can now afford to buy their staff tickets to commute to work on the railways. Do please give us our railways back.

Marek Kazmierski, London

Please let us have a train system that a modern country like ours deserves.

Giles Long, St Albans

I miss opportunities provided by trains. I can’t afford them now.

Anne Martin, Kirkcaldy

The railways have been messed about since the 90s. Connex and Southern are both awful. BR might not have been great but it was a damn sight better than this.

Victor Meldrew, Shoreham-by-Sea

Let a company manage the railways not a convoluted claim system for delays.

Victoria Glover-Ward, Hertford

Rail services need to be delivered by a unitary authority which will save duplication, increase safety for employees and passengers and focus upon developing services.

Chris Brown, Wimborne Minster

Nationalise now. Build trains in Britain, not Germany.

Clare Perkins, London

Give us back that which was stolen from us – our railways.

Paul Inman, Weston-super-Mare

I definitely agree! Bring Back British Rail!

Craig Norman, Basingstoke

This is ridiculous. I pay £14.70 a day for my train to college and half the time the train is not even on time or there’s no seats and I have to stand up.

Spencer Green, Oakham

Privatisation was meant to bring competitive advantage. It has brought exploitative monopolies. It’s time to re-nationalise the railways.

Simeon Adams, Hove

Make these companies run by the people and shared by the people.

Michael Rands, Hull

There has been no evidence that privatising the railways has been in the public interest. The railways are still subsidised and there is no benefit to the rail users.

Philip Elliot, Sheffield

There can be no coherent public transport or environmental policies without a nationalised railway system.

Stephen Holland, Nottingham