We need a railway that is a public service, not a profit-making business with expensive fares that is made possible by considerable injections of cash from taxpayers.

Justin Smith, Plymouth

My kids may have to cycle two miles to school, as I find it more and more difficult to pay for public transport.

Dave Codling, Cheshire

Thatcher left us with a nice legacy.

John Cutts, Worksop

I am not a socialist, but believe the railway system and utilities should be in public ownership.

Ian Shaw, Cotgrave

We need to be able to afford to travel by train again and to have a reliable service.

Anne Morrison, Bristol

Also red star.

Tony Rawlings, Woking

Just make it public.

Steve Allen, Sheffield

The railways should be for people, not private profit.

Margaret Berry, Nottingham

More good public transport, fewer cars.

Jacqui Morris, Clacton

Nottingham station closed for six weeks, so they cancel services to Beeston and Long Eaton as well.

Andy Steen, Nottingham

I live in the Southern network area, British Rail cannot come back soon enough.

Gareth Bull, Hove

All public transport networks and systems should be run as not-for-profit, and all should either be re-nationalised or re-regulated whichever it is under.

Andrew Appleyard, Oldham

I’m wholeheartedly behind this campaign.

David Jaggs, Billington

Privatisation has never worked, and is expensive for the rail user, as well as being stupidly over-complicated

Tim Gingell, London

I’m too young to have remembered when the railways weren’t privatised but it sounds like a good idea.

Ben M H, Plymouth

There is no evidence that pouring taxpayers’ money into private companies has done anything other than make their directors richer and reduced safety and efficiency.

Craig Hamilton-Smith, London

Privatisation does not create competition; it creates monopolies.

Howard Gough, Wakefield

It should be a Labour manifesto pledge.

Terry McKeown, Leeds

There is overwhelming support to restore our railways to public ownership and politicians must listen.

Doris Brunt, Biggleswade

A UK citizen living temporarily in Denmark, aware of the benefits of state-owned railways and a joined-up system. See DSB and Rejseplanen – Britain needs the same.

Jennifer Craig, Fredensborg, Denmark

I totally agree that we need a consolidated British Rail again run for passengers not private profit.

Jill Lepper, Stagsden

A totally integrated system makes much more sense.

Lindsay McDougall, Cramlington

Cheaper rail tickets mean fewer cars on the road, less pollution, a better planet and more days out exploring.

Sarah Cartoni, Hove

I feel we need a fair system. I travel each day to the Manchester area but they sell a 7-day value ticket but nobody travels 7 day and, in any case, there no service on a Sunday.

David McCredie, Newcastle-under-Lyme

Let’s stop the corporate benefits that gives us poor management, rip-off fares and a terrible ticketing system. Re-nationalise now.

Adam Stock, Newcastle

In the late 1970s it was the most efficient rail network in the World other than Japan.

Paul Strong, London

Trains are public transport. It is obscene for a private company to run them for profit.

Mark Dawson, Carshalton

It’s currently diabolical.

Carina Smyth, Gravesend

Rail for the people. not for rich to profit from.

Michael Burn, Sunderland.

Privatisation has been a farce from the word go.

Thomas Baldwin, Dunfermline