Record £14m fine for rail company
Written: 28th February, 2008
Network Rail has been fined a record £14m by the Office of Rail Regulation, after engineering work over-ran during the Christmas and New Year period.
But the company says that without further delays, it risks not meeting a December deadline for work to the West Coast Main Line at Rugby.
Passengers now face extra disruption through the summer, as lines are closed in order to complete the work.
Critics say the fine is "pointless" as it will end up being paid by taxpayers.
Network Rail's chief executive Ian Coucher said his company had now put "military-style" command posts in place, and he pledged that the delays suffered by passengers over the New Year would not be repeated.