Just because London is where the money is, it isn’t where all the people are. We deserve better, not for the profits, but because we deserve and need it.

Rowan Brock, Chester

Re-nationalise our railways.

Dean Brown, Enfield

Regrettably, commonsense isn’t too common. This is undeniably achievable, so let’s do it.

Susan Roberts, Abertillery

A national rail system needs to be restored. How Michael Portillo has the nerve to go on European rail journeys and extol the virtues of their systems.

Mark Cowley, Liverpool

Stop pouring public money into private hands. Run the railways for the people, not profit for a few.

Louise Kemp, Haywards Heath

I travel by train a lot and it is very expensive now, I can remember the early ’90s train prices were fair. I think we should bring back British Rail.

Darren McNiven, Worthing

Let’s go back to British Rail and reclaim rail services for the British public now.

Lorna Cameron, Leeds

Re-nationalise the railways now and plan for a long term investment in the most sustainable form of transport.

Gerry Mooney, Paisley

The only way forward for our railways is in the public sector as a non profit company. No greedy shareholders and over-paid directors to cream off the profits.

Robin Lenox, Whippingham, Isle of Wight

Only the corporations that own the railways can now afford to buy their staff tickets to commute to work on the railways. Do please give us our railways back.

Marek Kazmierski, London

Re-nationalise and reopen more stations.

Paul Malone, Storrington

British Rail ought to be brought back for passenger trains in England, Wales and Scotland.

Frank Nicholas Adam

I’m actually sick of foreign governments jacking up our rail fares and simply not caring. What we need is our railways run by the government with more investment and care.

Harry Neeve, Barnsley

The current rail system is a total mess. Franchising has not worked and we are over-charged for a poor standard of service compared to other EU countries.

John Hague, Loughborough

Railways for the people, not profit for the elite.

Sean Jackson, Windsor

Privatisation has ruined our railways almost as much as Beeching. The status quo only benefits the shareholders and bosses. Too much freight on the roads now too.

Richard Walker, Wilmslow

Bring back British Rail. It makes economic and ecological sense.

Roger Sidaway, Edinburgh

Nationalise our railways. Any profit should benefit its users, not go into pockets of shareholders.

Christopher Gale, Nottingham

Train services should not be run for private profit.

Carol Canning, High Wycombe

I don’t use trains anymore because I can’t afford them.

Joe Diamond

We will never have reliable weekend travel while shareholders matter more than rail users.

Jane Bunting, Bristol

How could anyone have tried to privatise, and make what is a core service to the nation a profit making industry? Now there’s a good idea to make it all go wrong.

Eriks Teteris, Reading

Other countries run superb, state-run rail services. Why can’t we?

Elspeth Gray, Edinburgh

Privatisation has not shown itself to be good value for money and the different franchises don’t provide a ‘joined-up’ service.

Jason Clements, Harrogate

Should be run as a public service not as a private business.

Anita Bartholomew, York

The current system is uniquely stupid. Dogma should not be the starting point for delivering such a vital public service.

Noel Inge, Harrold, Beds

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

Marc Brammer, Glasgow

There’s too much subsidy paid for a lousy service.

David Holmes, Lydney

Southeastern are consistently terrible at running a rail service.

James Addyman, Sidcup