A £100 million bonus farce is exposed today as British Rail heads for a major pay battle.

A Daily Express investigation shows that efficiency scheme to slash rail overtime, has failed.

Overtime payments have increased by 50 per cent to more than £100 million a year. One source said the figure could be as £120 million.

Last night embarrassed rail chiefs were refusing to give details of the failure of the “flexible rostering” system, which BR forced in after three months of industrial strife in 1982.

FIGHT

Critics claim some workers have turned the system to their own advantage, deliberately running trains late so they can claim overtime.

BR will soon be locked in a pay and productivity fight with leaders of 166,000 railmen who are demanding rises of up to 33 per cent.

Rail chiefs are expected to offer 2.5 per cent in the next two weeks.

The railmen would have been offered at least 4.5 per cent, but the industry has lost £250 million through the year long miners’ strike. The unions refused to move coal trains.

A high ranking official who blew the whistle on the overtime farce said; “It is more than my job is worth to come out into the open on this.”

The source complained that the system of flexible rostering - fiercely opposed from the start by the train drivers’ union ASLEF - had been badly thought out.

An official of ASLEF confirmed his claims. He said many drivers were “laughing all the way to the bank.”

They have been earning far more than they did before the system, which scrapped the eight hour day and replaced it with shifts of between seven and nine hours.

Guards and other staff have also been making more money.

The major embarrassment for BR is that it has to pay overtime to drivers and guards when trains are running late. Workers are called in to cover for men who are ill or late. Shift patterns do not match and other workers have to work rest days and Sundays.

DISASTER

Former BR Chairman Sir Peter Parker had expected the flexible rostering shifts to produce great Savings.

Drivers were working on average four hours of overtime a week in 1980. This has risen to 5-8 hours a week.

Although drivers are obviously enjoying the benefits of the system, official ASLEF policy is still to oppose it.

Rail chiefs would find it too embarrassing to scrap the system altogether, but they have held a series of meetings with the unions in an attempt to get it changed.

An ASLEF spokesman said “BR have told us they want get the rosters right, and want to tighten them up. But they will never get them right.” “ The system is a disaster fo the BR board. It is costing them millions of pounds a year."     

Railway accidents on British Railways

Southern Region 

Central Division

DON PULLEN 

SELHURST BRANCH

The Tunbridge Wells to Eridge line closed for passenger services 6th July 1985. 
The Tunbridge Wells West depot remained open until the 10th August 1985. This was due to 
the redundant drivers not be able to transfer to their new until the 12th August this was in 
accordance with the driver’s national agreements regarding Promotion Transfer & 
Redundancy agreements. 

Staff during that time worked the services on the Oxted lines and 
staff trains were required to run between Tunbridge Wells to Eridge to enable staff to work 
these diagrams.  

Railway accidents on British Railways

Southern Region 

Central Division