Why should we rely on limited special offers to get rail travel at a reasonable rate?

George Prior, Portsmouth

If we’re paying for it, it should be ours.

Alan Batcheldor, Frome

It’s about time.

Matthew Busby, Newhaven

Privatisation has simply meant expensive tickets for commuters (and also tourists). I’m Italian and I can’t understand how British people have accepted this unfair system.

Fabio Massei, Livorno, Italy

I long to see the railways return to public ownership and not run for private profit but as a public service.

Pat Boon, Birstall

It works in Europe so why not here? Better public transport would bring travel freedom and a better use of energy.

Brendan Morgan, Taunton

Sitting down with my grandad talking about the railways, makes me think of a bygone era. And I want to help bring that back.

Brian Braithwaite, Brighton

It’s time this fiasco was ended and the country’s backbone run at cost to make us a world leader.

Lee Gibson, Lincoln

Southern Rail are hopeless, useless and a total disgrace. They charge the highest fares in Europe yet providing the most awful and unreliable service.

Ruth Sanchez, Brighton

Privatisation is theft of publicly owned infrastructure, transferred at knock-down prices to the already wealthy, at the expense of the people.

B Freeman, Stevenage

Privatisation of utilities is completely mad. Capitalism will hold the people to ransom if it can and yet Britain keeps voting it in. Greedy people. Karma’s coming.

Steve Garraway, Ayr

Why should the taxpayer subsidise the franchised companies and therefore the shareholders. Re-nationalise now and stop the shareholder gravy train.

Keith Batchelor, Birmingham

This is needed. Our railways are just a joke now.

Benjamin Ross, Welwyn Garden City

Private ownership doesn’t work for passengers. And re-nationalise buses, energy and the post office as well.

Judy Steele, Leamington Spa

We need to reclaim all that is rightfully ours.

Steven Bartlett, Diss

People before profit.!

Nicholas Rowe, Southend-on-Sea

Privatisation is rubbish. All that matters is profit, never mind the public.

Stuart Edwards, Birmingham

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

Privatisation has created incentives for companies to do each other down, or grab extra profits, by practices that make journeys worse for passengers.

Janet Wright, Cambridge

I object to the train operating companies having to pay to rent stock we paid for as taxpayers in the first place.

Nigel Ponsford, Leeds

Our fares are so much higher than everyone else’s in Europe. Canterbury – Swansea is £90. It’s time for change!

Daniel Bourn, Canterbury

Words fail me.

Cassy Firth, Leeds

Public services should not be a cash cow trough for corporate investors whose only interest is profit.

David Timpson, Ashton-under-Lyne

Railways should be a social service, not a money making one. Profit making has benefit in some limited situations. It is not a one-size-fits-all miracle cure.

Roger Sternad, Doncaster

Enough of the insanity.

Colin Raven, Manchester

Privatisation is not working for passengers. I believe that nationalisation would put good service as the number one priority rather than making a profit.

Andrew Smith, Borehamwood

Our private rail network is more expensive for users, fares are increasing all the time, it’s expensive for taxpayers, the service is terrible. Bring back British Rail.

Duncan Moore, Glasgow

There is no evidence that pouring taxpayers’ money into private companies has done anything other than make their directors richer and reduced safety and efficiency.

Craig Hamilton-Smith, London

Follow the East Coast example and make profit for the taxpayer.

Kenneth Mudd, Guisborough