All I see are resources being run into the ground to benefit the short-term profiteers of the franchised railway.

Chris Owen

It used to be a public company. Now it’s just a national disgrace.

Tina Szafran, Thirsk

BR, when public, employed more people and cost less. Its social value was enormous. Give railways back to their rightful owners.

Robert Ollis

I rode BR Deltics as a child every weekend with my grandmother, from Luton to St. Pancras.

Shannon Cream, Long Beach, California

British Rail needs to be reinstated

Rosemary Smith, Milton Keynes

Public transport needs to be under common ownership, not in private hands.

Dave Dyke, Walsall

More good public transport, fewer cars.

Jacqui Morris, Clacton

Everything is repeated several times over without any meaningful competition.

Martin Prior, Greenwich

A publicly-owned railway will need to allow much more regional control and influence.

Steve Manchee, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

The sooner we return to a transport system operated for the benefit of the fare-paying passenger, rather than the convenience of railway staff, the better.

Ian Wilson, Croydon

I agree that the rail network should be de-privatised and run by a non-profit organisation.

Christopher Cunningham, Market Harborough

Stop the money going into the fat cats’ pockets and re-invest the money in the trains, stations and staff.

David Worden, Preston

Do we not owe this to the future generations? I miss the scene of an InterCity liveried train whizzing past the rural coastlines. British Rail all the way.

Alex Lewis, Bangor

It’s really time we had a service based on need not profit to benefit everyone not just the company shareholders.

Rick Evans, Bedworth

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

Bring it back please.

Jane Baghori, Bristol

As a musician that makes a small bit of extra pocket money on the side through busking in London I have been restricted by excessive and unreliable train fares.

Jack Theaker, Fleet

Nationalise the railways for the benefit of us all.

Colin Laidler, Washington

This must stop. The operators want to make a private profit. When there’s a loss in the offing they hand the keys back. Private profit – public losses.

Dave Simms, Yeovil.

Here we have HS1, which is great if you want to go to St Pancras, but our other services have been downgraded and, of course, HS costs more.

Sarah Williams, Faversham

The new timetable does not work.

Dexter Dennis, Chalkwall

The same management consultants, McKinsey, who planned rail privatisation are doing the same to NHS.

Gurdave Gill, Sidcup

Take it away from profiteers who cherry-pick services and disregard less popular routes and vital investment.

Luke Norris, Brighton

I would like to bring back British Rail, as it will then be affordable for all and be a massive tourism boost. We would have a decent rail system like other countries.

Sarah Shahid, Sheffield

They should never have been sold off.

Thomas Peter Turton, Manchester

Privatisation hasn’t worked – it’s time to re-nationalise the railways in the public interest.

Vincent Cunliffe, Sheffield

Nationalisation now. The people to own the railways.

T Matthews, Exeter

Why do you and I have to subsidise a private company to make profits for its owners? It’s madness.

Philip Lowe, Whitley Bay

We in Bedford have changed the wretched franchise and who knows who is pretending to run it.

Joan Slater, Kempston

Rail travel should be a public service run at cost rather than lining the pockets of a few at the expense of the majority.

Benjamin Glatz, London