Southern: 'Hit squad' rail boss called in at embattled operator 'paid £1,500 a day'

Southern fail: The train company has had to cancel thousands of trains
PA
Chloe Chaplain2 September 2016

The man called in to improve embattled Southern Railway’s performance record is apparently being paid a hefty £1,500 per day - equivalent of three times the salary of the Transport Secretary.

Chris Gibb will reportedly receive the equivalent wage of a £390,000-a-year salary in his short-term role fixing the struggling firm that has cancelled thousands of trains in months.

His wage is the equivalent of three times that of Chris Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transport, who earns just under £136,000 a year.

According to The Times, Mr Gibb’s bill will be picked up by Govia Thameslink Railway, the transport giant that owns Southern Rail.

Industrial action: The rail company has been battling with the union
Alex Lentati

Mr Gibb, a non-executive director of Network Rail, picks up his role as part of a three-month long project costing £125,000 which is set to deliver an “action plan” to resolve the on-going dispute over the downgrading of conductors and improve services

The company has been locked in a battle with the Rail, Maritime and Transport union over the proposed changes, leading to a series of strikes.

Southern has also been forced to cancel 341 trains a day as part of an emergency timetable imposed in July to cope with staff shortages.

The project is looking at resolving these issues and will be backed by £20 million from Network Rail's budget to finance recovery measures.

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said of the project: "This stinks of another multimillion-pound taxpayer subsidy to bail out the failing Southern rail part of the Govia Thameslink franchise.

Unhappy customers: A protester against Southern Rail at Victoria station
Nigel Howard

"If there's money to prop up this private outfit why isn't there cash available to make sure that the guards and safety are protected on their trains?"

A GTR spokesman refused to confirm how much Mr Gibb was being paid, but said: "The total cost of the project board will be £125,000, which includes the salaries of Chris Gibb and support staff.

"The project board is expected to present its findings later this year and changes that can be made will be implemented as soon as possible."

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