Privatisation has been a complete failure, inept, heavily subsidised and confusing.

Vivienne Roberts, London

Rail fares are a travesty – beyond the reach of the people.

John Smetham, Wallsend

CrossCountry is a shocking service.

Neil Hinkinson, Birmingham

We should reintegrate the railways with bus and sea travel, so that British Rail can offer seamless travel from Europe to all parts of the UK.

Paul Bright

Although I now live in France I commuted from Haslemere before I retired.

Christopher Macleod, Champlin

The railways should be owned by the public, charging low price rail fares, owned by us, for the people, by the people.

Andrew Cremin, Merthyr Tydfil

We need a national rail operator. In a small way East Coast Trains have shown what high standards can be achieved outside the private sector.

David Pardy, Christchurch

Train operators don’t give a toss about the service they offer, their customers or value for money.

Paul Reid, Liverpool

Bring back British Rail.

Phil Hine, Manchester

Privatisation equals rip-off.

Jean McAulay, Brechin

Younger people may not have experienced the investment in rail that I experienced as a youngster and how easy it was to get advice on fares, as they were open and fair.

Pat Tarttelin, Woodhall Spa

British Rail was wonderful, not perfect but wonderful. Now prices are too expensive for me to use even with a disabled rail card. Please go back to British Rail.

Susan Homer, Stockton-on-Tees

I think governments bail out privatised rail companies so I think they should be run as a nationalised industry.

Bill Murray, Fair Isle

I support the re-formation of British Rail. The current un-unified service has caused me numerous problems

Iain Macleod-Brudenell, Nottingham

It just makes sense to have all the rail network run by the government. Public transport should be a service not a profit-making business.

Alison Glennie, Seaton Sluice

A national railcard please. Why should only the South East get the Network Rail card. And please can we have the algorithm used to calculate fares made public for all?

Isaac Price-Sosner, Exeter

Privatisation just doesn’t work for infrastructure or utilities.

Diane Baskerville, Birmingham

I’m sick of poor service and profits going to shareholders not back into the service.

Paul Pennington Marshall, Brighton

This should be run for the people and not for profit.

Ant Veal, Teignmouth

Why did we ever allow our rail services to go back into private hands when we know all they are interested in is making a profit for share holders.

Revd David Ward, Nottingham

If the East Coast rail line can positively contribute to the public purse why can’t others?

Bill Hush, Edinburgh

A return to the days of a national service run not for profit. If only.

Ben Illis, Brighton

I’m disgusted at today’s news about Virgin and Stagecoach, getting the East Coast franchise.

Barry Ould, Aylesbury

I’m being priced out by season ticket fares, and am on a three year pay freeze.

Joanne Royston, London

The people of the British Isles require a nationalised rail service which brings affordable transport to its people.

Johnny Gomes, Sudbury

Bring the railways back into public ownership and stop putting taxpayers’ money into private pockets.

Catherine Cooper, Melksham

Enough of rip-off train operating companies and greedy leasing companies. Let’s get back to a public service on the rails.

John Rich, Ely

Some 35 years on from Thatcher, it’s time the government owned up that privatised bodies are far costlier than national ones.

Claire O’Kell, York

Keep railways in the public sphere, not privately-owned.

Mark Allen, Bolton

Having been a rail traveller all my life, I believe that the privatisation of the railways was very wrong. They should be owned by the people.

Ida Hodgman, Hartlepool