Failed rail firm Northern upped its bosses’ pay by nearly HALF as passengers faced misery during the timetabling crisis.
Accounts published just two days after the franchise was taken back into Government control last Sunday show bosses received an eyewatering increase of nearly £200,000.
That took total pay to £596,000 – including £248,000 for managing director David Brown.
Northern’s fatcats were rewarded while they presided over one of history’s worst-ever timetable fiascos in 2018.
Thousands of services were cancelled – with 165 a day cut to areas including Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool and the Lake District – as passengers endured crammed trains in the week and chaotic Sundays.
Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham was among those calling for the firm to be stripped of its franchise and said the pay figures showed renationalisation was “not a moment too soon”.
Mr Burnham said Northern had been “a licence to print money that simply rewarded failure”.
Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said passengers would be “incandescent” to hear about the pay rises, adding: “They should give every single penny back. It’s outrageous.”
Northern’s parent company Arriva blamed its failure on track operators Network Rail and other “challenges outside its control”.
It also said no comparison could be made between salaries year on year as they applied to different bosses joining and leaving.
Services will now be run by an arm’s-length Government company.
