As a lifelong railway traveller and current user of the East Coast mainline, I am fully supportive of public ownership of the railways.

Peter Harvey, Bingley

Re-nationalise all public utilities.

Graham Thorburn, Milton Keynes

Bring it back.

Beth Neale, Warminster

The prices are unaffordable and it is now cheaper to fly from London to the North of England

Nicola James, London

British Rail should never have been privatised.

Brian Ardill, Cullompton

East Coast is being run successfully, and I enjoy travelling with them and making a profit.

Keith Dibb, Leeds

Just do it.

Gordon Reid, Exeter

Private companies do an awful job for double the price. Make it public.

Claire Eve, Brighton

Commuters are not there to be exploited for vast profits.

Joy Partridge, Chesterfield

Bring back British Rail – I’ll even have the sandwich!

Simon Thompson, Kendal

First Great Western run the oldest rolling stock in the country to Barnstaple. It’s a disgrace, and an embarrassment to the visitors of our beautiful area. It needs sorting.

Terry Hayes, Ilfracombe

When it comes to national infrastructure and essential services, public ownership ensures democratic control.

Marion Fitzpatrick, London

Not even Thatcher was crazy enough to privatise the railways.

Stella Hawkins, Hounslow

Society before profit.

Paul Halliday, Launceston

We’re passengers, not customers.

Graham Duddridge, Petersfield

Rail services in the UK are too disjointed due to privatisation. They are long overdue for reform.

Colin Duncan, Paisley

Bring it back

Daniel Noctor, Cardiff

Yes please, we can run it better and cheaper with 1st class service.

Norman Sullivan, Nottingham

Bring back British Rail, accept that privatisation is a failure and let’s start to rebuild for the future!

Mark Turnock, London

Staggering tripling of taxpayer subsidy since privatisation, lack of investment (e.g. in electrification), and fares going through the roof. Nationalise now.

John Puntis, Leeds

We want British Rail back running great trains, not a rubbish privatised service.

Colin Flowerday, Holt

Yes – and every time a new company takes over, that fat cats leave with their fat options.

David Kaye, Cambridge

Businesses are in it for their shareholders, not for the benefit of the people who use the trains.

Van Tran, Nottingham

No civil transportation diminishes the system for me. Private companies are not civil service.

Eugene Souza Kiefer, Las Vegas

People before profit. Democratic control for essential services.

Sue Vincent, London

Rail needs to be nationalised to bring back unity of railways and maintenance of track. Stop the blame-game and nationalise.

Sylvia Ellis, Coventry

Privatisation has failed – fragmented services, high fares, health and safety issues, fewer staff and worse to come. No to private profit, Yes to public benefit.

Carrie Hedderwick, Sheffield

Privatisation has failed passengers. The taxpayer is still funding the railway. We should own it.

Jamie Thomas, Durham

I totally agree with all the comments. I’m sick of getting ripped off by privatised companies with late, packed, dirty trains.

John Dannell, Durham

Let’s do this.

Rory Fraser, Inverness