Network Rail Bonuses Connected to Health and Safety Concerns
There are some votes against Network Rail getting bonuses. These bonuses are for chiefs who work in the companies. There are quite a few who are unhappy that the bonuses are most likely going to go through. There is not a lot one can do after the vote has been made in favour of the bonuses.
Those that are opposed to the bonuses say it is directly linked to the deaths that have occurred at rail stops in the last seven years. In 2005, two girls were killed when they pushed up gating. They ignored the warning that a train was coming, since one had already passed. The girls did not expect a second train. The fact that the gates could be lifted is considered an issue with workstation risk assessments not accounting for such an issue happening.
There was also a more recent incident in 2012 with another teenage girl dying at a foot crossing for the rail station. The incident happened a few miles from the 2005 incident. There are still health and safety audits being conducted to decide if this most recent incident is another breach in safety and health. The company may have to pay out for the first two deaths and this new one, depending on what the court cases say. Those against the chiefs’ bonuses state something could have been done to prevent these issues at it is the chiefs that need to take the responsibility.
