Michelle Handforth, Network Rail Regional Managing Director resigns

[Annetts key]

Wales and Western
A message from Michelle

Hello everyone,

I am writing to tell you that I have taken the difficult decision to resign as Regional Managing Director for Wales and Western. It's been a real privilege to work with you all through the highs and lows of the past couple of years, and while this decision is a real wrench to me, I believe it is the right one for me, my family and the business.

I have discussed this with Andrew Haines who has agreed that Rob Cairns will step in to become interim Regional Managing Director, until a permanent successor can be appointed. I know Rob well and I am confident he will do a brilliant job in leading the region over the coming months. He will take up the position from 1 January.

It has been such an honour to lead this region since joining the business in August 2020. Over that time we have faced an incredible range of challenges, but your support, friendship and good humour has been consistent throughout. I am extremely proud of the achievements we have made together and while times feel tough right now I know that a bright future for Wales and Western lies ahead.

As Rob takes over, I will continue working in Network Rail supporting on specific projects and will remain on the board of DOHL.

Wishing you all the very best in the future.

Michelle

Michelle Handforth

regional managing director

See this link https://my.newzapp.co.uk/t/view/1649491895/115581571

 

[Amlag]

See this link https://my.newzapp.co.uk/t/view/1649491895/115581571

No surprises there then !

 

[Bonus55]

Asked to step down perhaps? I think she had some personal things going on though.

 

[Horizon22]

That will be a new Regional Director and Route Director for Western in reasonably quick succession then.

Those that were calling for senior resignations following the OLE incident at Paddington at Thursday - can't get much more senior. Her boss (?) was on one of the trains after all! Of course the resignation might not be at all related.

 

[Samzino]

Made sense they'd go for someone to chop but she'll still remain around, on the board and out of the limelight anyway.

 

[apbj]

So she gets to keep her job and (presumably) salary but someone else has to step in to clear up?

 

[Towers]

Made sense they'd go for someone to chop but she'll still remain around, on the board and out of the limelight anyway.

Doesn’t make much sense at all unless improvments are actually going to be made, really!

 

[Samzino]

Doesn’t make much sense at all unless improvments are actually going to be made, really!

Agreed but it makes it seem that they've done something.

 

[thelongestroad]

And what will change? Precisely nothing.

 

[43096]

That will be a new Regional Director and Route Director for Western in reasonably quick succession then.

Those that were calling for senior resignations following the OLE incident at Paddington at Thursday - can't get much more senior. Her boss (?) was on one of the trains after all! Of course the resignation might not be at all related.

Perhaps more related to the ORR inquiry into performance on the Western?

 

[Horizon22]

Perhaps more related to the ORR inquiry into performance on the Western?

No but the incident - and its handling of it - can’t have helped.

 

[43096]

No but the incident - and its handling of it - can’t have helped.

Agreed. Particularly when her boss was on one of the trains!

 

[apbj]

Ah, hang on .... this was the GWML/Paddington manager who is on £300,000 and still lives in Scotland, charging her flights to the company?

And despite everything that happened the other day, she is still employed (albeit in a different role)?

Puts things into context.

 

[Amlag]

BBC News today publicly reports Ms Handforth‘s resignation and she admitted her skillsets didn’t match the requirements of the job.

In that case who appointed her and why ??

 

[Master29]

BBC News today publicly reports Ms Handforth‘s resignation and she admitted her skillsets didn’t match the requirements of the job.

In that case who appointed her and why ??

The old school tie for boys and girls.

 

[All Line Rover]

£300k is an absurd salary for this sort of role - let alone in the public sector - and the fact that she has opted for the role when living in Aberdeen is even more of an insult.

Pleased to see that this is the most-read story on BBC News. Likely the sort of story with details that Network Rail tried to find some reason not to disclose under FOIA.

 

[AndyPJG]

BBC News today publicly reports Ms Handforth‘s resignation and she admitted her skillsets didn’t match the requirements of the job.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67742682

Network Rail manager quits after passengers stranded
A Network Rail manager has resigned days after passengers in West London were trapped for hours in the dark.
Michelle Handforth, managing director for the Wales and Western region - which includes Paddington - stepped down on Friday, Network Rail confirmed.
She was paid a salary of £330,000 and commuted to work from Aberdeen.
A rail insider said Ms Handforth had chosen to resign of her own accord after recognising the challenges of the role.
Earlier this month, passengers were stuck in cold and dark carriages for hours when overhead electric cables were damaged in Ladbroke Grove.
Elizabeth Line, Great Western Railway and Heathrow Express trains were all affected, with some passengers trapped for more than three hours with no access to toilets.
Multiple rail system faults and damaged rails had caused problems on Paddington services in the weeks before the incident.
Ms Handforth had been in the role for three-and-a-half years.

3½ years in the role before you realise the challenge of the role?

 

[Bertie the bus]

BBC News today publicly reports Ms Handforth‘s resignation and she admitted her skillsets didn’t match the requirements of the job.

In that case who appointed her and why ??

She realised that after getting over £1 million pounds in salary in the 3 years she was in the job? When she realises she is actually held accountable she suddenly realises she is not the right person.

 

[The Planner]

£300k is an absurd salary for this sort of role - let alone in the public sector - and the fact that she has opted for the role when living in Aberdeen is even more of an insult.

Pleased to see that this is the most-read story on BBC News. Likely the sort of story with details that Network Rail tried to find some reason not to disclose under FOIA.

How much should region MDs get paid?

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

How much should region MDs get paid?

Just for comparison the Prime Minister currently earns £167k, plus expenses, and he’s (allegedly) running a country. I‘m sure that someone managing a Network Rail region could get by on that level of salary.

 

[ComUtoR]

Just for comparison the Prime Minister currently earns £167k, plus expenses, and he’s (allegedly) running a country.

What else does the Prime Minister get ?
House ? Car ? Access to private and discounted bar ? 24r security ? Pension for life ?

The headline salary is meaningless without context.

 

[Nicholas43]

1. What hugely difficult decisions was she faced with which might justify the salary? Possible example answer: rebuild abutment of Nuneham Viaduct asap, money no object?
2. Where was / is her place of work? If it was (eg) Swindon, reimbursement of travel from home to Swindon was taxable.

 

[HurdyGurdy]

3½ years in the role before you realise the challenge of the role?

"Fake it, 'til you make it" is the route to success. Plodding along in your comfort zone is for losers.

 

[Macwomble]

What I don't get is how someone whose previous job was CEO of the Port of Aberdeen & who still lived there could do a railway based management job in the south of England. Surely someone holding the position should be required to have a railway background.

Strikes me she was square peg in a round hole from the start but managed to "get by" (somehow) for three & a half years

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

I liked the snark from a 'rail insider' - she 'had chosen to resign of her own accord after recognising the challenges of the role'.

It is all horribly reminiscent of the Railtrack era - generalist managers with little knowledge of railways, yet cuts to front line maintenance staff and expenditure.

 

[43096]

Always strange how many people feel they can comment on someone's - usually in a management role - competence and salary/benefits package even though they've got no management experience themselves and would not want others doing a pile-in on themselves and their own competnency and experience (but they're happy to do so with someone senior). Always smacks of jealousy around pay rather than anything else, and it's pretty odious.

 

[Amlag]

After she quit Aberdeen Harbour Board the local press in March 2021 reported :-

Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said: “I’m pleased we could bring Michelle back into the rail industry.
“It’s been a difficult year and she’ll bring a fresh perspective to help us navigate through these challenging times.”

Well there are now even more challenging times for NR Wales and Western.
The Govt ORR investigation has only just begun and its report is yet to be published but awaited with interest.

 

[Nicholas43]

Perhaps she recognized that Network Rail management fell short of Felix Pole's example.

Passengers in a [bungled] Reading slip coach ... in March, 1927... were intensely annoyed at what they regarded as unnecessary delay in sending an engine to fetch the slip. Accordingly, the next night the slip coach was abundantly supplied with an explanatory leaflet ...

Felix Pole, His Book, 1954, p81

 

[endicomark69@g]

I get the sense within the organisation she's not exactly going to be missed.

It might be hoped that whoever replaces her has a less challenging commute in future.

 

[JamesT]

What I don't get is how someone whose previous job was CEO of the Port of Aberdeen & who still lived there could do a railway based management job in the south of England. Surely someone holding the position should be required to have a railway background.

Strikes me she was square peg in a round hole from the start but managed to "get by" (somehow) for three & a half years

A good manager doesn’t necessarily need experience of the job those they’re managing are doing. It’s being able to ask the right questions, make the right decisions in a timely manner, and have the interpersonal skills.
There are people who are brilliant at their job, but would be utterly useless as a manager.