The boss of the Paddington rail line, who earns £300,000 a year, has resigned following an investigation into the recent chaos on the line.

The chief executive earning £300,000 annually for overseeing one of the busiest rail networks in Britain has agreed to step down following a series of issues with overhead power and track malfunctions, including one incident that resulted in thousands of passengers being stranded on trains for several hours.

Michelle Handforth, the managing director of the Wales & Western region for Network Rail based in Paddington, will be resigning due to an investigation by the rail regulator into frequent malfunctions and unplanned closures leading to “unacceptable delays.”

Ms. Handforth, who resides in Aberdeen and regularly flies to her place of work, informed her coworkers this week that she has made the challenging choice to step down from her position.

On December 7, a power line malfunction at Ladbroke Grove, near Paddington, caused seven trains to become stuck. These included four Elizabeth line trains, two Heathrow Express trains, and one Great Western Railway intercity train. Due to the lack of toilets on the Elizabeth line trains, passengers had to resort to urinating on seats or the tracks in the dark. Notable individuals caught in the situation were musician James Blunt and presenter Rachel Riley.

The issue occurred after a minimum of five previous track malfunctions, such as a damaged rail near Slough on November 21st, which resulted in the cancellation and delay of trains traveling between London and destinations in Bristol, Wales, and southwest England.

The ORR has initiated a probe into the “performance problems” affecting the line. Feras Alshaker, the director of performance and planning, stated that while Network Rail has made improvements in other areas, the main route from Paddington has seen a decline in reliability and punctuality, resulting in inconvenience for both passengers and freight.

Despite the disorder, Ms. Handforth, who is 60 years old, will remain employed for the remainder of her notice period, working on “special projects.” She became a member of Network Rail in August 2020, after previously holding the position of leader at Aberdeen Harbour Board.

In July, it was revealed that she received a reimbursement of nearly £10,000 during the previous fiscal year for 72 work-related flights, as specified in her contract which covers travel and lodging expenses. According to their annual report, Network Rail allocated a total of £188,006 for domestic flights and an additional £315,026 for international trips by their employees. Ms. Handforth’s flights included two round-trip tickets from Aberdeen to Bristol with Loganair, costing £536 each.

On January 1st, Rob Cairns, the current Network Rail eastern regional capital delivery director, will temporarily assume the position until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Ms Handforth’s resignation was confirmed by Network Rail. Andrew Haines, the chief executive of Network Rail and one of those affected by the chaos on 7 December, expressed his gratitude towards Michelle for her dedication and assistance during her three and a half years with the company.

Ms Handforth expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to work with her colleagues over the past few years in a message this week. She acknowledged the ups and downs they have faced together and shared that while it was a difficult decision, she believes it is the best choice for her, her family, and the company.

The poor state of the western main line from Paddington has been identified as the cause of the inconsistent performance of the newly opened Elizabeth line, which cost £18 billion and began operation in 2021. In addition, the line has faced frequent disruptions due to malfunctioning software and door issues on its new trains.

Source: independent.co.uk