strikes mean parts of Britain's rail network will be

closed this week, passengers have been warned.

Members of the Railway, Maritime and Transport

Union (RMT) will leave 14 railway companies on April

16, 18, 30 and  1. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG),

which represents rail operators, expects  40-50% of

services to operate on  strike days but  said there

will be big disparities and some areas will not have

trains available. The operators concerned will manage

only out of about 7 services. from 30:00 to 18:30

Business interruptions also occur  the day before and

the morning after each strike date. The RDG is

frustrated that the RMT has refused to put its latest

proposal to the vote of its members. This offer was

intended to settle a long-standing dispute over