Network Rail's '£6million man' under fire over huge bonuses for directors

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An actor dressed as the Fat Controller waved a banner carrying a picture of the chief executive with the words: "Wanted: The Six Million Pound Man. Iain Coucher has been paid £6million by NR in the past seven years. Nice work if you can get it."

Public members of the not-for-profit NR threatened to dominate the meeting with rows over the six-figure bonuses. But directors are set to defy mounting anger and keep their money.

A spokesman said bonuses to all staff were a reward for "improving the railway". Mr Coucher will receive a bonus of £150,000, taking his pay package to nearly £1million. The top six directors took £1.21million in bonuses on top of salaries worth £2.5million.

Their critics were upset at the scale of the bonuses given that the West Coast Main Line has suffered continuing delays despite a £9billion NR upgrade.

A pre-AGM meeting of NR members in Bristol last night was "overwhelmingly hostile" to the bonuses, said Gerry Doherty, general secretary of the TSSA transport union. He added: "Iain Coucher and his cronies win the Brass Neck of the Year award for taking these completely unjustified bonuses."

Louise Ellman, chairman of the House of Commons transport committee, said today: "NR must become more accountable."