Please provide affordable, decent transport for the public. Transport should not be for shareholders’ profit.

Kathleen White, Edinburgh

As the privatised industry is in receipt of massive public subsidies, it should be returned to the public.

Bruce Van De Gevel, Huddersfield

Bring back BR along with Network Southeast, Intercity and Regional Railways, and end franchising for the good of the people, not profit.

Jesse Mensah, London

The heavily-subsidised private companies just cost more to run as with energy, water and health.

Michael Rand, Lancing

Every national asset that has been privatised appears to have been sold off on the cheap and it then becomes a very bad service.

Maretta Rees, Crawley

For people not for profit.

Owen Smithson, Hornsea

I support the return of BR.

Ronald Copeland, Brighouse

The sooner the better. Stop the wreckers.

Alan Johnson, Largs

I work on the railways and it needs to go back to BR to save the railways from meltdown.

Roy Lawrenson, Accrington

Half empty first class seats, standing only on certain routes with above inflation ticket prices. Compare East Coast financial figures with franchises. No contest.

Danny Kearney, London

In my trainspotting days it was British Railways. Why stop at Rail?

Bill Peter, Aberfeldy

On the 16th July I was on Clapham Junction station when a train for Portsmouth arrived. It was only four coaches long and was so packed that many people didn’t get on, MP’s are a joke.

Ken Tarrant, Newhaven

It’s a joke how much the trains cost. In the era of productivity being bigger than ever, the state could afford public transport to be really cheap.

Maciej Krzymieniecki, Barry

It feels as if it’s all disintegrated. Make it function properly by joining up the pieces.

Sylvia Webb, Sunbury

Yes to re-nationalisation, but I do think they should be run for profit, with profits used for re-vamping our railway lines and stations, future and for re-opening lines.

Patrick Spain, Milton Keynes

Since privatisation the costs of paperwork have increased dramatically with so many organisations to deal with to enable anything to get done.

Frank Nicholas Adam

Please listen to the voices of reason and also see what the EC line is doing for the country’s finances.

Laura Yates, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I’m fed up with poor service and trains with insufficient carriages, leading to overcrowding.

Leo Watson, Plymouth

The railways should never have been returned to private ownership. The mess they were in then was the very reason for nationalisation. Will they never consider history?

Enid Khan, Leicester

Bring back British Rail.

Andrew Polley, Gloucester

Bring back BR. Prices are absurd on trains at the moment. It should not cost £50 to go 50 miles.

Kye Savage, London

Bring back British Rail.

Al Iby, Holsworthy

Rail transport is for the common good so it’s time to think of the travelling public and not shareholders.

Denis Price, Hull

They are quite happy to delay passenger trains by late running freight. Once is unfortunate, twice coincidence and fifty times is downright incompetence.

Kevin Wisbey, Bury St Edmunds

It’s in the name – British rail. It should be run by Britain. I’m sick of over-priced tickets for trains that don’t show up.

Angela Marsh, Wigan

One of the very worst privatisations. It makes no economic sense from either side of the political divide. Make public transport something to be proud of again.

Aaron Bliss, Oxfordshire

Keep the East Coast mainline out of private hands.

Nigel Lightowler, York

We have the highest fares I can think of anywhere. As a result I pretty much never use trains. I love train journeys and would use them but cannot afford them.

Lynne Coppendale, Doncaster

Let’s put this public service into the hands of people who have to listen to the public they serve rather than the enemies of public service.

David Fellows, Brighton

British Rail was good, but it did leave room for improvement. Some of that came with the sharp edge of privatisation but then the sharks came in.

Patricia Fort, Glasgow