I AGREE with some of the opinions made (Echo Comment May 17) that the railway franchising system is a mess. It rewards private investors first and regards passengers as a necessary evil.

I am not convinced that anyone is certain if a free market approach or a nationalised rail system would give us the trains and ticket prices that we need - clean, on time, affordable etc. Considering Britain was the birthplace of the railways we are making a poor job out of running them in 2018.

Taking them back into public ownership might not be such a bad idea after all..

Colin Brooker, Middlesbrough