It should never have left public ownership.

Graham Mallinson, Manchester

Our transport system should be for people – not for profit.

Newton Cleghorn, Rowlands Gill

Extortionate rail fares and ancient, late-running trains. Look at Wakefield Kirkgate. I’ve been told that the train is late due to an abandoned freight train blocking platforms.

Adam Stacey, Wakefield

Bring back British Rail and make it as good as Deutsche Bahn.

Mary Boehringer, Lincoln

If BR reduces prices and doesn’t make me sit on my luggage from Leeds to London I might use trains again rather than National Express buses.

Jean Mertzanakis, Leeds

Profit for public services, not shareholders.

Chris Gramger, Kendal

Their profligate greed is bringing this country to a standstill. A service should be just that and all profits made should be driven back into making services better.

Joe Sims, Bristol

Sense and responsibility, not politics.

Michael Benis, Hove

I am rarely on a train these days that is (a) on time, (b) not broken (c) has a driver or (d) completes its whole journey without being discontinued early.

Richard Glazzard, Tunbridge Wells

The franchise system can only be described as a bad compromise, which is too rigid to be able to meet the demands of customers.

Pauline Stephens

Transport for the people by the people, not for profit. All service industries must be publicly owned and all monies ploughed back into the service.

Mick Knights, Waltham Cross

Welcome back British Rail.

Maureen Brookman, Sutton, Surrey

I have worked in the rail industry and seen first hand how privatisation and greed has corrupted the industry and the quality of service.

Caroline Joyce, London

Bring back British Rail, when open return tickets were the norm.

Mohammed Zulkernain, Slough

Bring back BR.

Ste Hannon, Liverpool

I saw a sticker in Oxford Road gents, so you know it’s worked at least once.

Michael Holleran, Newton-le-Willows

Terrible East Grinstead service. The frequency needs to be increased as well as the number of carriages. All over the country serious reform is needed not Victorian trains.

Emma Campbell, Sanderstead

Privatisation is a failure.

Patrick Smith, London

The railway is a service, not a business. It enables business, so should be viewed as a means to an end, not run as the end itself.

Andrew Mclean-Reid, Sherfield

Privatised rail wastes huge amounts of money.

Jane Barry

Rail privatisation was madness in 1993 and remains madness in 2013. A massive public subsidy of private profit. Re-nationalisation is not just sensible, it is essential.

Julian Wagstaff, Edinburgh

As rail passenger numbers grow and the calls for the reopening of closed lines increase, action must be taken!

David Mcintosh

I’d visit England much more frequently if it had a coherent rail system.

Geoffrey Taunton, Montmorillon, France

We need a railway that is publicly owned and internationally integrated so we can get rid of the obstructive security rules for the Channel Tunnel.

Timothy Baldwin

Privatisation is for the few to get stinking rich. The clue is in the word private.

John Doyle, Addlestone

Bring back reasonably-priced rail fares. Stop the profit-making and re-invest in modern rolling stock.

William Earle, Scunthorpe

Stop cramming people onto trains just to make a profit. Improve the service and re-nationalise now.

George Holliday

Privatisation rarely works for the average person. East Coast was doing so well so why did that have to change?

Diana Lauder, Wakefield

Please re-nationalise the railways and make the railways one affordable public service, not a lot of expensive private businesses.

Yzabel Field, London

High fares, and taxpayers subsidies going in to the pockets of the few. Standardised BR Rolling stock was much more cost-effective than all the foreign trains of today.

David Fuller, Luton