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Network Rail's '£6million man' under fire over huge bonuses for directors
Dick Murray22 Jul 2009
Rail boss Iain Coucher was today labelled "The Six Million Pound Man" as protesters angry at the huge bonuses received by Network Rail directors gathered outside the company's annual meeting.
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."
Reader views (2)
The fat cats will soon be getting fatter as they have began the process to fire over 500 senior & mid-level managers before christmas THIS YEAR and over 3000 signallers over the next 3 years.
So they can make better profits, meaning more bonus & creating an almost guaranteed safety catastrophe just waiting to happen.
- Adam Bennett, London, UK, 22/07/2009 12:13
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This is ridiculous, there are always delays and cancellations due to signal failures. Surely the money would be better spent on improving the 'signals' than paying out in bonuses.
- Jk, Kent, 22/07/2009 10:23
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