I don’t think privately-run companies should be receiving government subsidies to run public services. Re-nationalise now.

Jim Flanagan, Sheffield

British Rail had more flexibility with tickets and better value. It was better all round.

John Richard Jones, Preston

Private companies should not be benefiting from national essential services like this. It’s like the NHS and is a disgrace.

Katie Jamieson, Leeds

It’s about time this happened – the privatisation of the railways/electricity and gas/water was the worst thing to happen. Give them all back.

Jill Westendorp, Lyme Regis

Nothing has worked properly since privatisation.

Linda Hunt, Colchester

Fond memories of the days of British Rail. Bring them back.

Steve Alton, Haywards Heath

Railways are a natural monopoly. If we are to combat climate change we need to get cars off the road. A public service would be more efficient and cheaper.

Keith Cain, Llangedwyn

It is insanity not to have a British Rail system that is coherent, coordinated and not about profit. Efficient transport should be part of the infrastructure.

Sue Mills, Leeds

I’m sick of expensive fares and low service.

John Carlson, South Shields

If only half the money given to the current private companies had been given to British Rail, what a wonderful, publicly-owned service we would have.

Tomasa Bullen, Southampton

Think about the travelling public, not shareholders for a change.

Harry Hansen, London

Can be done over time, when contracts are due to expire.

Brian Cox, Stafford

Something needs to be done to make travel cheaper for everyone, in a time when people are having to travel more for work.

Matt Simpson, Cradley Heath

To replace highly trained guards with glorified customer service operatives is ridiculous and an insult to rail users.

Mary Price, Worthing

I am fed up with late, over-crowded trains. Let’s sort it out.

Nick David, Cardiff

East Coast is in public hands and doing well. It should stay public. Profits are returned to taxpayers.

Jill Hancock, Durham

Keep going chaps. Railways first, utilities second.

John Kearns, Bolton

Bringing back British Rail is the best idea in many a year!

Bob Rosenthal, Blandford

The service is better than it was, but hugely overpriced. Even cheap day fares have practically doubled since privatisation.

C. Sanger, Haslemere

Take back what is ours., which was stolen.

Ian Sambrook, Bilston

It always worked better under government control.

Shabir Ahmed, Watford

Get all railway out of hands of greedy stockholders.

John Goosetree, Spalding

The East Coast line proves that public ownership results in better service than private profit-driven service. Government doesn’t want to hear this though.

Jay Cannings, Lewes

BR wasn’t perfect but it did usually have sufficient carriages to fulfil a generally decent service. The TOCs claim rail growth is due to their efforts. It’s not.

Alan Brown, Hull

It is high time to re-nationalise British railways and get the kind of system that the French now enjoy.

Andrew Spence, Hastings

How can we stop the new East Coast franchise?

Alan George, York

We pay extortionate prices to stand like cattle. It makes no sense for a railway to be run for private profit.

Mary Ion, Bromley

A decent affordable rail service is essential for a sustainable future.

Jan Clark, South Ferriby

It is incomprehensible that a national necessity is in the hands of private companies, many of them foreign.

Thomas Davies, Ross-on-Wye