... and Network Rail chief gets £820k pay deal despite delays

NETWORK Rail’s boss received an £820,000 pay package last year despite only seven out of 24 train companies hitting punctuality targets, it was revealed yesterday.

The state- backed operator slipped out its annual report shortly after HS2 disclosed its soaring costs.

The report contained details of chief executive Mark Carne’s £820,000 pay package, a slight increase on the £ 811,000 he received the previous year.

It included a £683,000 basic salary, a £64,000 pension payment, a £50,000 long term shares bonus and £23,000 in benefits.

Network Rail looks after the UK’s railway infrastructure, such as the lines, signalling systems and stations. It said problems with infrastructure – such as signalling failures – accounted for around a third of delays.

Robert Flello, former Labour member of the Transport Committee and now a transport consultant said Network Rail ‘must share some of the blame’ for the disruption. He said its latest report will make many members of the public more convinced than ever that the money spent on HS2 would be better invested in improving the existing railways.

He said: ‘Most commuters will not see any benefit from HS2. But these same commuters could have their journeys fantastically improved if the tens of billions earmarked for HS2 were spent on their local services.’

Mr Flello added: ‘Network rail will be under severe scrutiny this summer. There will be further question marks over whether Mr Carne and others deserve their generous pay.’

Mr Carne said: ‘With a million more trains on our network than just a few years ago, congestion and the knock-on effects of any small incident is taking its toll.

‘But we, as one railway industry, supported by high levels of investment to expand and improve our railway, know we can and must do more to make people’s daily travel experience better.’