A unified not-for-profit railway is the best way to fund and plan long term strategy, and ensure that the training and skills of the workforce are maintained sufficiently.

Riaz Meer, Ilkley

Trains are overpriced, overcrowded, frequently delayed and often dirty, resulting in hugely dissatisfied commuters. Privatisation has failed, and change is needed.

Eleanor Stubbs, Trowbridge

I’ll never forget the train journey from Norwich on a two car train with only one engine working, crawling along at 20mph on a red hot day and no air conditioning.

Steve Bonallie, Sunderland

Privatisation doesn’t work. Railways are infrastructure.

Steve Wilson, Manchester

It’s terrible. I take so many train journeys a year and it’s all Virgin Trains – so expensive.

Yasser Sheikh, High Wycombe

British Rail is so much better – bring it back.

Martin Farrow, Harlow

I agree that travelling by rail in the UK is often too expensive. State-owned railways in other countries such as Germany and Sweden seem fairer. Why can’t ours be?

Ryan McCarthy, Swindon

Bring back British Rail. Privatisation just takes and doesn’t give enough back. Ticket prices are beyond a joke in comparison to Europe’s.

Craig Johnston, Buxton

Privatisation has had its day. It’s time for it to be run for the public not for shareholders. The cost of tickets is ridiculous. and confusing.

Phil Vaughan, Plymouth

You must drastically improve all public transport. British Railways should be amongst the best in the world.

Richard Hunter, Pontefract

The privatised network results in a sterile environment in which profit comes before anything else.

Michael Atkinson, Sheffield

Re-nationalise the rail network and put the customer, not profits, first.

David Hornsby, Shipley

We need British Rail.

Sophie Lea Gerrard, Streatham

Trains only for a minority than can afford it? You’re missing the trick here, and the future (shouting for sustainability) is leaving you behind already!

Rina M, Dumfries

Public transport should be owned by the public.

Vivienne Aldred, Preston

The privatisation left us in a worse state with little investment and a network not fit for purpose.

John Harrison, Leeds

State-owned rail travel in Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, Czech Republic, Russia. We are fools. Sign up.

David Freear, Lancaster

The great experiment should now end. Privatisation has not worked. Talent has been lost as train operating companies now work in ‘silos’.

William Shearer, London

A fairer rail system for all.

Jonathan Hardman, Manchester

My MP is Lib Dem Sir Alan Beith. I have written to him and sent articles in favour of state-run railways but he is more like the Tories in so far as the railways are concerned.

John Sheard, Warkworth

You know it makes sense.

Andy Mizzi, Morecambe

East Coast is doing an excellent job. If it is not broke do not fix it.

Colin Austin, Peterlee

Public transport should be what it says, not a feeder mechanism for shareholders’ pockets.

Peter Lawson, Tunbridge Wells

Every time I hear “Thank you for choosing to travel XYZ”, I think “But I didn’t choose! If I really had the choice I’d be travelling British Rail.”

Dermot Killingley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I want a railway run for the benefit of the British public, not for private train companies to bleed the fair-payers and our tax subsidies dry.

Lee Ballance, Chester

Privatisation has been a typical Tory scam.

Chris Smith, Nelson

A natural monopoly which can and should be run so much better for everyone.

Stefan Puchowski, High Wycombe

Privatisation wrecked our railways.

Ken Turner, Newport

It’s the sensible thing to do.

Ruth Meaney, London

We the people would very much like to see the railways re-nationalised. More focus on good service and profit being put into improvements rather than shareholders’ pockets

Davis Wilkie, Edinburgh