P R Willey is right to be shocked at the news that passengers were nearly "cooked" in a broken-down train because they couldn't open carriage windows and the air conditioning had failed (Letters, June 28).

Mr Willey is also right to suggest that train operators' profits should be ploughed back into "better conditions for the people who make the train companies their millions".

There is a link between rail privatisation and the running down of rail services.

It is, simply, that private operators are more interested in making short-term profits than they are in providing decent services and adequate safety provisions for passengers.

Privatisation has been a complete disaster for passengers and for rail workers. According to figures from the RMT union since privatisation, private train operating companies have received £10 billion in public subsidy and banked £1 billion in profits.

Rail operators receive more subsidy yet provide worse services than under BR.

Bringing rail maintenance back in house under Network Rail and passenger services back in house under South Eastern Trains has been a great success and shows that the railways are more efficient when run in the public interest.

It's time that our rail services were taken out of the hands of fat cats and brought back into public ownership.

That's why we in Respect - a broad, national coalition of trade unionists, socialists, environmentalists and others - are calling for the immediate re-nationalisation of the railways.

Ed Rooksby,

Secretary of York Respect,

Park Street,

York.

Updated: 10:03 Tuesday, July 05, 2005