Privatising our national assets has to stop. They are bringing the country and all that was good about it to a standstill. Stop the policies of exploitation.

Jane Atkinson, Wakefield

Why should taxpayers subsidise these private companies in order for their shareholders to gain. Take them back now.

Christine Rogers, Hastings

Service and passengers before profit. Many rely on rail.

David Pears, Milton Keynes

Living with East Coast Rail has highlighted that the case for privatisation has never been proven.

John McNulty, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Bring back BR so we can lead like the rest.

Eddie Walker, Workington

Unified operations, coherent fares please.

J Anslow, Manchester

Current rail companies pull prices out of thin air. Neither the service provided nor the actual journey is worth what they charge. It’s over inflated and needs to stop.

Michael Prada, Kendal

For too long we have trusted private companies to improve essential services, and instead we are seeing few improvements but ever-increasing bills.

Lesley Mais, Leeds

Since this public service was sold off, the taxpayer is still paying large subsidies, even though it has been ‘privatised’.

Alex Casale, London

This is a really important cause to support.

Sharmilla Beezmohun, London

It just makes sense to do so: cheaper fares for the people and more profitable income for the government.

Andrew Hewitt, Slough

Bring back BR like the good old days.

Sam Morris, Millom

It was better when It was British Rail.

Kevin Baker, Coventry

Re-nationalise British rail

Terence Phelps, Worcester

We want our public transport service back. We still pay for it in taxes.

Eira Short, Rochdale

Like all things that work better as a monopoly, it should be under common ownership.

Michael Dawson, South Shields

Taxpayer money built the rails and now we’re just getting ripped off by the companies that own the concessions.

Marc Brammer, Glasgow

If the East Coast mainline can be run at a profit by the public sector, so can the rest of the network.

Michael Woodward, Nottingham

Privatisation hasn’t worked for the national good.

Michael Young, London

Re-nationalise now.

Richard King, Bristol

Rail is a natural monopoly and pseudo-competition is a nonsense. Bring back BR.

Alan Harrison, Walsall

I go every week into Edinburgh and the guard rarely gets through to sell tickets. At Waverley, six to eight staff are waiting to sell tickets. The wait is longer than the trip in.

Walter McLeod, Prestonpans

I Just find it stupid the political dogma of the current government

Gerard Talbot, Canvey Island

Let the railways be run for the passengers and not for the shareholders.

Louise Ffoulkes, London

Despite the curly sandwiches, they still provide a cheaper and more efficient service.

Charlie Sutherland-Boyce, Livingston

I remember British Rail. It was great!

Jonathan Grain, London

Bring rail fares down.

James Robinson, Whitehaven

I am appalled by the vast ‘profits’ made by the privatised rail companies alongside the massive prices and poor levels of service. Give us back now what is really ours.

Deborah Steele, Bath

BR should never have been sold off in the first place. As for Beeching?

John Malcolm, Mayfield

Driving is so backward. People zooming around at 90mph in metal boxes at a cost to the planet. Trains for the future, blow privatisation.

Tom Nicholls, London