THERE are many problems with our rail network, not least how the franchise system is run. However, I don’t see how renationalising the network would improve things (Is it time to renationalise our railways?, January 7).

Many complain about profits being made while fares are rising but even if you removed all profit, you’d get a single drop in ticket prices of a few per cent and then they will continue increasing again every year as overheads inevitably rise. That’s also assuming an appointed minister could operate a business as well as a private CEO.

There is one way I could be persuaded to back renationalisation however, and that’s if it copied the NHS philosophy of being free at the point of delivery. If we did that then the entire ticket system would be scrapped and a free service is a powerful incentive for more people to use it.

The main problem with this would be, as so often is the case, the unions. They would never back a proposal that would see all ticket office and many other admin staff made redundant and provide more justification to abolish ticket inspectors.

Removing all that unnecessary labour would considerably enhance the efficiency of rail travel for everybody but it will never happen and the excuse given will always be passenger safety.

Dr Scott Marmion,

Woodthorpe, York