Unified, national, well planned, strategic, facilitating leisure and the economy, cheaper, better, social – easy.

John Parkes, Leeds

We grumbled when British Rail was in charge but its faults were miniscule compared to the shambles we have had since 1995.

Clive Marshall, York

The railway in the Southeast is relied upon by commuters but is being made inaccessible to many because of the unjustifiable cost of rail fares.

Eira Johns, Bexhill-on-Sea

We should be investing public money in service improvement not private sector profit and shareholder dividends.

Jenny Sergeant, Pontefract

Privatisation doesn’t work. Railways are infrastructure.

Laura Cooper, South Brent, Devon

Rail transport should never be run for private profit. Re-nationalise the whole rail network and its infrastructure now!

James Cotgrave, Birmingham

Privatising the rail network is the stupidest Idea ever lobbied for by money-grabbing racketeers.

Carl Clifton, Nottingham

Re-nationalise the railways.

Carl Conway, Redcar

East Coast have proved over the last few years that a national railway can work and run efficiently. Let us nationalise all rail companies and give the voters the profits.

Anthony Fillingham, Newark

The privatisation experiment has failed. Rail transport is an integrated service essential to the economy and needs public ownership.

Tessa Gordziejko, Hebden Bridge

The current privatised system is bureaucratic, uncoordinated and very expensive for both state and passengers.

John Gibson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Take profit out of the equation and we will have a British Rail that works and of which the nation can be proud.

Jonathan Futrell, Padstow

BR should never have been sold off in the first place. As for Beeching?

John Malcolm, Mayfield

It’s our country.

Colin Carr, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I whole-heartedly support this.

Jane Norris, London

It’s not even properly private. Paying massive subsidies to private companies is wrong.

Jules Dawes, Sheffield

Privatisation is just a legal rip-off to the public in general.

Terry Barnard, Bridgend

Please bring back British Rail.

Desmond Foley, Bristol

We need an integrated rail system in our small country.

Michael Crawley, Altrincham

East Coast is handing back millions to the government. Keep it as Directly Operated Railways and do the same for the rest.

Tony Ethridge, Bridgwater

The disconnect between infrastructure and operations and financial inefficiencies across the unnatural boundaries is plain daft.

Brian Reid, St. Neots

This needs to happen to stop these companies bleeding money from the railways.

Graham Ross, Bolton

If British Rail had received the level of subsidy afforded to the private sector, none of the money would have gone to shareholders and the network would be better for it.

Matt Tyas, St Ives

The current railway system is a laughing stock.

Patrick Baker, Derby

Bring back British Rail.

Francis Derek Boyle, Manchester

Its time to bring back railways into national ownership. Save the tax payers billions of £s and create a joined up and reliable service.

Heather Pollard, Hornsea

The public railways should never have been sold off. It equates to theft from the public, asset stripping to support the profligacy of the Right.

Dilys Hadley, Exmouth

Much of our railway system is nationalised – but to continental countries rather than the UK.

Peter Griffiths, London

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

It’s nonsense for fragmentation in so small a landmass. We all prefer train travel in a single network.

Andree Rodriguez-Veglio, Daventry