Privatisation has never worked and it’s a failed experiment on our national infrastructure that leaves it fragmented.

Faraz Choudhry, Sheffield

Privatisation of public services has been a disaster (except for the fat cats). Let’s take back as our own.

Robert Pankhurst, St Albans

Railways are the property of the British public like all infrastructure. Utilities should be not owned and plundered for profit by fat cats who pay no taxes.

James Dawn, Gloucester

I believe in an integrated rail network, run as an entity for the benefit of all, without dividends paid to shareholders.

Susan Forrest, North Berwick

Thirteen years of increased prices and increased delays with decreased services. Surely this cannot be justified.

Justin Glover, Cardiff

Britain has the highest train fares in Western Europe. National Rail receives billions each year in grants so it is in all intents and purposes state-run.

Lawson Cartwright, Worcester

I believe that the railways should be nationalised because they are too expensive for me to be able to commute to work and other locations.

Jimmy Purewal, London

What’s the hold up? Get it done.

Paul Hawkins, Cardiff

The government should run the country to benefit citizens, not big business. They need to be reminded of this.

Susan Shaw, Barnsley

Another example of the rape of this country by Westminster.

Reynold Hutchinson, Berwick-upon-Tweed

I’m an ex-Saltley guard. This infrastructure that’s losing a battle is ludicrous. Bring back British Rail.

Tony Sandland, Birmingham

It wasn’t broke and now BR needs to be re-nationalised.

John Weeks, Rushden

Private companies succeed by putting profits first. That’s what capitalism is all about. Nationalised companies can put the public benefit first.

James Craig-Gray, London

The sorry saga of railway franchising was exemplified by Connex.

Frank Nicholas Adam

Railways and other forms of public transport should be subsidised by the state for the benefit of the users and employees and not for shareholders in private companies.

Alison Harris, Pontefract

I have to use the train to get to and from work. They have used every excuse they can come up with.

Helen Cullivan, Hutton Brentwood

No system is perfect, but lining the pockets of big business with public money, while enjoying an expensive and inferior service, is the worst of all worlds.

Jane Ayres, New Mills

I joined British Rail in 1983 and am still in the industry today. I can’t believe we pay people to run a service so that they can make a profit.

Dario Giudici, Stevenage

I am more than sick of this madly priced rail system. I travel in Europe by train often and the fares are reasonable.

Jason Kalidas, London

The recent move to sell off East Coast Mainline is a betrayal of all the people of this country in favour of one section of it. Disgraceful.

Paul Taylor, Leeds

Full communism.

Jack Dickinson, Penzance

It seems sheer folly that as a country we now pay more in state subsidies to the private providers than we ever paid for British Rail

Roddie Arnott, Edinburgh

Just see sense and bring it back along with London Transport buses and tubes.

Brian Hammond, Essex

Privatisation has patently not worked.

Ronald Donnelly, London

Just that – bring back British Railways – and steam too, whilst we are about it. Then we would have a REAL railway.

Anthony Stunners, Warboys

The railways are a service. We should put service before profit.

Mike Christy, Stroud

I believe the golden age of British Rail should be ahead of us, not behind.

Nicklas Gaskell, Exeter

I’m 100% behind this. We need a unified rail system. Privatisation has given us awful service.

Jack Rutherford, Cambridge

If BR reduces prices and doesn’t make me sit on my luggage from Leeds to London I might use trains again rather than National Express buses.

Jean Mertzanakis, Leeds

Re-nationalise and bring back efficiency.

Martin Gentile, Exeter