One of the main reasons I took early retirement from my job as a train driver was privatisation. Profits now come before safety, in my opinion.

Colin Dye, Stanstead Abbotts, Ware

Rail services are already subsidised by the taxpayer. Let’s cut out the middleman; the one that is making the profit.

Alex Wood, London

We simply must fight for a better life.

Stuart Flude, Durham

I miss British Rail.

Sue Budd, Falmouth

Bring it back into public ownership right now. If the East Coast services can do it, the rest of the network can. Public transport for the public.

Robbie Rudge, Glaston, Rutland

We need a railway system to be proud of, which can once again become the envy of the world!

Neil Sheehan, Merseyside

Bring British Rail back into the hands of the people who rightfully own it.

Stephen Reilly, Ashton-under-Lyne

No more unfulfilled promises of improvements. Nationalise now. People before profits for a change.

Susan Murphy, Newark

Britain has the most expensive railway system in the world because it has been carved up for profit.

Philip Sutton, Gateshead,

I have watched a well-documented TV series – East Coast railway. It’s a great argument for nationalisation of Britain’s railways, with fulfilled, hard-working employees.

Christine Isherwood, Macclesfield

Bring back British Rail.

Stuart Bogue, Alton

Why subsidise parasitic bosses when you can subsidise what are supposed to be the public services they sit on?

Thomas West

Stop bleeding money to overseas rail companies and use profits to make fares cheaper and the service better.

Sergio Seelochan, Nottingham

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

J Taylor, Swansea

I’ve travelled all over Europe by train and the UK’s railways are the most over-priced and contemptuous of the passenger.

Aviva Jacobs, London

I use the Northern Rail Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria line. It has an appalling punctuality record, and customer service leaves me frustrated.

Mark Leech, Mossley

Take it back to British Rail.

Christine King, York

It was just better. Sort it out Whitehall.

Gareth Ayre, Durham

I agree that the current system is expensive and deeply flawed.

Stephen McVeigh, London

Bring back the big blue trains.

Donald Hutchison, Penzance

Initially my hatred lay with Southern Rail (before that Connex). Now It lies with the idiotic decision to privatise in the first place. Bring back nationalised services.

Oliver Banks, Shoreham-by-Sea

We need cheaper fares and profits ploughed back into the system. Shareholders should be supporting the system now not the taxpayer, unless we re-nationalise the system.

Gareth Williams, Wenvoe

Please stop the private bus companies receiving tax-payers’ money to run all forms of public transport to pay their bosses’ wages and shareholders’ dividends.

Brian Bailey, Manchester

A fully-integrated state-owned public transport system is required please.

Mark Ovington, Saltburn

It’s long overdue. It’s time to admit mistakes. The French and Germans both have national rail systems as well as buying bits of ours.

Edmund Preston, Kinder

British Rail should never have been privatised and, if at all possible, should be re-nationalised

Patricia Sever, Birmingham

Privatisation was driven by WTO in the first place, not for the public good. Rail privatisation was the worst of all. Crazy prosecutions for having wrong tickets.

John Raven, Edinburgh

Although it is probably bottom of this government’s agenda, for thousands of people the goal of having a railway system run for people as a service is fundamental.

Jonathan Alder, Wenhaston

Bring back BR and bring back the design and manufacture of all trains to the UK as a matter of government industrial policy.

Keith Ward, Nottingham

As a non-UK national living in the UK, I am shocked and disgusted at the outlandish prices and dreadful service UK customers are subjected to.

David Robert Grimes, Oxford