All public transport should be counted as a utility and all utilities should be re-nationalised.

Frank Evans, Chesterfield

Taxpayers are subsidising rail companies and paying the highest fares in Europe when many people’s incomes are being cut year on year.

Neil Cameron, Sheffield

I fully agree, the government needs to stop creating private profit on everything. The railways are there to support the economy, not necessarily directly create the profit.

Steve O’Connell, Farnborough

A network of this size can only ever be run by one organisation, and the state does it best. Ask the French or the Swiss, Germans. They do it best.

Anthony Campbell, Wallsend

Fragmentation has wasted money on in-fighting instead of delivering a fully integrated service for business and families.

Alan King, Edinburgh

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

The railways, along with the utilities, should be for the benefit of all and not for profit for the privileged.

John Hearn, Rotherham

I am chair of Tyne and Wear public transport users’ group. This is a network of 15 organisations fighting for an integrated public transport system.

Vicki Gilbert, North Shields

I would use the train, but it is so prohibitively expensive to use, that I go everywhere by car, and have done since it was privatised.

Roger Morris, Honiton

Bring back British Rail and start re-nationalisation.

Darren Sumner, Newport

You can’t control what you don’t own. Transport is a social service, part of a civilised society. All profits are needed for re-investment, Low Fares, good conditions.

Cathy Wilson, Liverpool

It should be a transport system, not a profit organisation for a few cowboy bus operators.

Gary Sell, Darlington

Bring back Network SouthEast too.

Ed Thwaites, Tewkesbury

I remember the service side, like restaurant cars, being so prevalent. Has competition really improved things?

Robin Willis, Hastings

I’m fed up with high prices and competing networks.

Chris Marsh, Rustington

The rail companies monopolise the lines, charging whatever they want.

Julian Gore

With fewer staffed ticket offices the travelling public will get worse customer service and no help getting the best deals from an ever confusing array of tickets.

Bill Porter

Railways are simply not a service that can be run for private profit. There’s only one line there, so competition isn’t a natural feature.

Amy Leach, Leeds

In many cases the train fare is more than the cost of fuel for the same journey in the car.

Michael Cryer, Aberfeldy

Railways are for the people, not the Tory millionaire shareholders.

Melbourne Chadwick, Sheffield

Please bring it back as service sucks on a daily basis.

Nick Chincotta, Eastbourne

It just makes sense to me – people before profit. That goes for all the other utilities (gas/electricity/water) that have been privatised for the rich to make more money.

Lesley Jones, Hull

I travelled from Newcastle to Edinburgh in August, an annual trip to the Fringe. Virgin took over from East Coast trains. Fares doubled service appalling.

Margaret Woodward, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Stop subsidising private companies.

Richard Jones, London

One should not make profit out of public transport.

Stephen Rollason, Exmouth

Strip the unions. Just let them work and if they don’t like it then they obviously need a career change.

Joe Seager, Sutton

Stop destroying our magnificent railways and heritage just to make a financial killing.

Bill Porter, Liverpool

Railways should be run by the people for the people.

James Parmenter, March

Britain needs an economic, efficient, clean, staffed, train service with plenty of no smoking signs, litter bins, no alcohol signs, no feet on seats signs.

Caroline Hutchings, Kingston-upon-Thames

A college student that will be affected by the 3.4% fare rise and does not have a proper income.

Liam Mustapha, Bexhill-on-Sea