I believe the way forward is to start up a cooperative of unions, commuters and other interested parties to bid for franchises when they come up for renewal.

Edmund Chinnery

Public service rail works – that is why they are trying to privatise East Coast for a third time.

Patrick Newman, Stevenage

When I think of what we used to have and what we have now it is definitely regression not progression.

Julie Hope, Cheddar

It should not have gone in the first place.

Colin Ure, Houghton-le-Spring

If the rail industry is ‘private’ why then do the train operating companies take their profits whilst the taxpayer is still contributing considerably to the rail network.

Stuart Wilkins, Brockenhurst

All public transport should be counted as a utility and all utilities should be re-nationalised.

Frank Evans, Chesterfield

Since privatisation took over, rail services are rubbish! Bring back proper train services!

Steven Evans

Passenger train operation should be for the benefit of travellers – not shareholders. And a unified InterCity could offer seamless integrated long-distance services again.

Mike Machin, Southampton

The carriages need to be cleaner and there should be more of them. Fares should be standardised and the journey and customer experience should be prioritised.

Colin Thompson, Bury St Edmunds

Only re-nationalisation will bring back all the rail services under one umbrella, providing a fair service to all.

Anthony Torok, Leicester

We need the return of all things that were great about Britain, of which this is just one.

William Quinn, Liverpool

You are doing a fantastic job.

Christine Cudworth, Wakefield

I am tired of being late for work, late getting home, waiting nervously for trains at unmanned stations, and having no toilets or waiting rooms open on a cold night.

Donna Ainsworth, Leatherhead

Nationalise, strike, organise.

Liam Hawksworth, Leeds

How I wish that we could run our transport system as efficiently as I have witnessed in European countries. I am totally disillusioned with the private greed and chaos.

Charles Steel, West Molesey

When New Labour welched on its promise to re-nationalise in 1997, I knew something had gone wrong. It’s time to see the railways benefit people again.

John Brunton, London

Bring back British Rail.

Meg Fabian-Peacock, Ilfracombe

We now have the most expensive to use railway system in Europe, and integration with bus/express coach networks is generally deterred, unlike most European systems.

Brendan Smith, Harrogate

Not for private profit.

Stuart Dye, Hailsham

Let’s put the British back and make the railways a state-owned company. Everyone then should be able to afford to use them.

Susan Gulliver, Keighley

Bring back BR. Do not privatise East Coast!

Jim Brettell, Leeds

East Coast Mainline proves the rail companies should all return to public ownership. Put people and passengers first and save the taxpayers money.

Andy Churn, Welwyn

It’s ludicrous that Britain doesn’t have a fully-integrated rail system and that so-called public transport is, in fact, private.

Rebecca Brown, Banstead

Stupid and unfair prices. Bring Back British Rail.

Louis Graves, Stockport

The quality of train services compared to other leading economies is a disgrace.

Chris Brown, Brighton

I have many happy memories of travelling by train with my father as a child. I would love to see the return of British Rail.

Margaret Stritzel, Derby

People before profits.

Noel Grummitt, Ilfracombe

Since Deutsche Bahn took over Chiltern Railways, it has fallen from the best operators to one of the worst. The whole system is collapsing. We need re-nationalisation now.

William Howells, Great Missenden

Post privatisation, operating companies got four times the funding given to BR. Scandalous.

Andrew Hinder, Woking

East Coast is putting money back into the public purse rather than into profits for shareholders. That is as it should be. Every privatisation raises prices.

Theresa Marsden, Peterborough