THE history of our railways in recent times has been dominated by disasters.

The names of Southall, Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield and Potters Bar all represent the decline in the train network.

However, lessons have been learned from the tragedies.

Railtrack, an ill-conceived attempt to squeeze huge profits out of the care and maintenance of rail infrastructure, has been abandoned.

In its successor, Network Rail, we have a body which seems equipped to oversee long-term investment and improvements.

Already there are signs of recovery in both the level of service and the level of public confidence.

Punctuality is improving and, as a consequence, passenger numbers are increasing.

This is not the time for disruptive industrial action by members of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union.

A series of strikes will threaten future investment and, in an instance, will undermine the improvements made in recent months.

We do not seek to heap the blame on the RMT. Grievances over pay and pension rights are sincere, and reflected in the size of the turnout for the secret ballot.

But they are not sufficient to justify strike action which will cripple the network and inconvenience passengers, who ultimately help finance the wages of the RMT members.

There is some hope in the conciliatory tone of union general secretary Bob Crow's call for Network Rail to hold what he terms as "serious" negotiations.

Passengers will find it difficult to understand the RMT's willingness to plunge our public transport services into chaos.

Equally, they will find it difficult to maintain confidence in Network Rail if it rejects any prospect of conciliation.