JUSTINE Greening is set to become the first secretary of state for transport to vote at a Network Rail AGM, as the government steps up its opposition to large bonuses proposed for the group’s senior management.
Greening said yesterday that she will exercise her right to vote against the bonuses at this week’s meeting, despite admitting that it won’t prevent the payments being made.
Labour MP Tom Harris last week tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for Network Rail directors to reject the generous remuneration packages, including a £340,000 bonus for chief executive Sir David Higgins.
The motion, signed by 30 Labour MPs, cited “major asset failures, congested routes and poor management of track condition” as reasons for “poor performance of the UK rail network in 2011”.
Yesterday Greening, MP for the London constituency of Putney, told the Sunday Politics show: “I’m going to go to the meeting next Friday, I’m going to vote against them [but] I won’t be able to stop it from going through.”
Even if she were to lead a successful vote against the bonuses, the result is only advisory, Greening said.
