Network Rail staff raked in £50 million bonuses in run up to timetable mayhem

BONUS payments to rail staff in the run-up to the nationwide timetable mayhem topped £50 million.

Pay-outs for Network Rail workers doubled in just two years to staff entitled to the annual cash.

Forty thousand staff received the money with £38.7 million paid to the most senior grades with a further £13.7 given to lower paid workers.

The total bonus payments to staff was just £27.6 million in 2015/16 but this was increased to £52 million in the last financial year just ahead of the travel chaos.

It comes after Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the way Network Rail creates timetables was “simply unacceptable” following the commuter chaos introduced earlier this year.

The new timetable introduced in May this year saw thousands of trains cancelled and caused mayhem for commuters.

The organisation, who own and manage most of the country’s rail infrastructure, revealed in June that the out-going boss Mark Carne would give up his £74,000 bonus.

Carne was handed a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list this summer.

Tory MP William Wragg last night said: “Hearing that bonuses have doubled will be a kick in the teeth for those using the rail system.

“If any senior managers who have overseen projects that have ultimately led to the timetable chaos should think about giving their bonuses back.”

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “These performance-related payments reflect and reward last year’s performance of each of our 40,000 employees in the company – from the depot to the desk – recognising areas that were delivered well; safety, asset reliability and project delivery.

“The scheme also ensures no payments were made where performance fell short of target.

“The issues with May’s timetable will be reflected in next year’s scheme.”

The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request to Network Rail.