Rail transport is too important to leave to penny-pinching private companies. If it wasn’t, why are we spending so much taxpayer money on HS2?

Shahin Sharabyani, London

It’s bloody obvious.

Paul Hernon, Llangollen

I’ve recently used East Coast train service to Newcastle. It was on time, well early. Keep it in public ownership where all trains should be.

Jennifer Hunter, Norwich

It’s far too complicated a system with so many different companies involved and putting profits before people.

Kathleen McDermott, Worksop

East Coast in public hands is making a profit. Don’t Let it be sold off again. The profits should go to us not a private company.

Judith Klaus, Leeds

Let’s invest the profits from our rail fares in improving our railways and not let them go abroad.

Sheena McKerrell, Keighley

we need consistent investment not rely on run down stock.uk railways are a joke compared with Europeans.

Cathy Scoffield, Barnstaple

It’s about time we could book tickets on the day without having to pay stupid money compared with having planned a journey 5 weeks in advance.

Chris Bourne, Nottingham

Please reverse the privatisation of the railways.

John & Beatrice Rogers, Leeds

How could anyone possibly have thought privatisation was a good idea?

Gary Dickson, Sheffield

British Rail did not ‘belong’ to the government. They sold something they did not own. That is robbery – selling something that ‘fell off the back of a lorry’.

Yvonne Baker, Stockport

We need to re-nationalise all the transport and utilities.

William Ryan, Manchester

Stop the gravy train (excuse the pun) and put all the profits back into the upkeep of ‘our’ railways.

Frank Goodall, North Shields

Keep up the fantastic work. Nationalisation is just a little bit further along the railway line.

Daniel Webster, West Wirral

It doesn’t have to be a re-run of BR. There are other ways of having a publicly funded rail system – see Germany for example.

Chris Barker, London

My father-in-law was on a train broken down for 4.5hrs. It took him13.5hrs to cross London, after which he was fuming and died of a heart attack.

Geoff Ingram

Rates by private companies are disgusting. Its cheaper to drive which should not be the case.

Dylan Evans, Market Harborough

It’s shameful that the railways were privatised. Stop profiteering and give it back to the people now.

David Goodby, Welwyn Garden City

We deserve a proper, integrated railway system run for people not profit

Jack Coy, Sheffield

We pay out millions in subsidies, so that shareholders get a dividend every year.

Timothy Sercombe, Exeter

It is just a joke. We knew it was wrong at the time. Do politicians get anything right?

Kevin Guyatt, Stockport

East Coast is publicly owned, well-run and makes money for us – the public. Let’s see the rest of the network follow suit.

Carole Price, Hexham

BBBR Now. Stop the waste of money going to shareholders and out of the railway industry.

Steven Parkes, Glasgow

Private interests ? social efficiency.

Reuben Whatton, Leeds

Why subsidise private railway companies? They are leeching public money. Railways should be a public service.

Jonathan Barnes, Hitchin

We need a united railway again to cut costs and continue the level of investment required.

Andrew Dowden, Manchester

People before profit. Democratic control for essential services.

Sue Vincent, London

It just proves that privatisation does not work.

John White, Loughton

The railways have gone nothing but down hill since the privatisation of British Rail.

Marcello Gabrielli, Derbyshire

Privatisation has been a very expensive mistake. These companies invest next to nothing and cream off great profits.

Denis Watterson, Otley