London, United KIngdom – Network Rail 2006-10-23 announced the names of its 28 new Public Members who will help keep the company accountable for its actions.

Chairman, Ian McAllister, said: “Our Public Members have the opportunity to influence the company, which is delivering an important public service. We are delighted to have attracted 28 new members who have a strong belief in accountability and a thorough understanding of, and commitment to, good corporate governance.”

The new members, who were recommended by an independent panel, will begin their term of office in November 2006. They will join Network Rail’s existing Industry and Public Members and will replace the members whose membership expires this year. The total number of members will be 104.

What Members do
Network Rail is a company limited by guarantee; it is a private sector organisation operating as a commercial business and with a Plc-style Board of Directors – but it is without shareholders. The Network Rail members fulfil the role of shareholders, but do not receive dividends or have equity interest, as Network Rail is a not-for-dividend company, and any profit is re-invested in improving Britain’s rail infrastructure. Members do not receive payment for their services, but are afforded reasonable expenses for the execution of their duties.

Members do not get involved in operational or management decisions, but they play a crucial role in the company’s corporate governance and have statutory rights and duties. These include: attending the company’s annual general meeting; voting on the appointment of re-appointment of Network Rail Directors; and receiving Network Rail’s annual report and accounts.

Why Network Rail has appointed new Public Members
The original 113 Members were appointed in 2002, soon after Network Rail became the rail infrastructure operator. The total number fluctuates depending on the number of rail companies eligible as Industry Members. When the original three-year term for Public Membership expired last year not all Public Members sought or qualified for renewal. Those who did were appointed to terms of one, two or three years. This allowed for a staggered process of future Member appointment, ensuring continuity and stability by avoiding a situation where all membership terms expired at the same time. Existing Public Members were eligible to re-apply.

The selection process
The memberships of those who were appointed for one additional year expire in November 2006. Following an open and widely advertised campaign for applicants, Network Rail has 2006-10-23 announced its completion of the selection process ensuring the new Public Members were in place before this time.

An independent membership selection panel selected from applications and recommended to the Network Rail Board individuals whom it considered had the appropriate abilities and experience to be appointed as Public Members.

The independent panel:

• Alastair Macdonald, the panel Chairman, is a former Director General for Industry at the Department for Trade and Industry and was a journalist for several years on The Spectator and Financial Times. He is currently a Civil Service Commissioner chairing selection panels for senior civil service appointments;
• Catherine Bell was previously Permanent Secretary at the Department for Trade and Industry. Prior to that, Catherine held various positions at the DTI including Director General of Competition and Markets Group, and Director General Services Group. She has been a Non-Executive Director of Swiss Reinsurance GB since 1999;
• Jim Cornell is a Non-Executive Director of Network Rail. He joined British Rail in 1959 and held various senior positions including latterly Group Managing Director of British Rail Infrastructure Services. Jim is currently Executive Director of the Railway Heritage Trust.

The new Public Members:
Hugh Becker, Geoffrey Bell, Tony Belverstone, Kathleen Bosley, Jonathan Bray, Ian Brown *, John Butler, Sriram Chari, Timothy Cole, Jonathan Crane, Andrew Cripps, Bob Crow *, Gerry Doherty *, David Gilchrist **, Andrew Goodwin, Katrina Hide, Helena Ifeka, David Jennings, Maureen Kavanagh **, Jonathan Kerry, Richard Lambert, Christopher Le Fevre, Karen McAleer, Deryk Mead, Neill Mitchell, Richard Randall, Jane Steven, John Wall.
*Formerly the representative for an organisation Public Member
**Existing individual Public Members who have been reappointed

The continuing existing Public Members
Individuals
Robert Barton, Roderick Braithwaite, Rob Branston, Anthony Bright, Geof Butterwick, Dudley Coates, Sarah Collett, Julianne Dunn, Alistair Greig, Andrew Izard, Graeme Keedy, Andrew Lowery, Philip Lund, Michael Mathieson, Peter Morris, Margaret Munro, Janet Pavey, Simon Pitcher, Jacqueline Pryor, Mohamed Saheid, Roderick Shelton, Christopher Smith, Deion Smith, Barbara Spring, David Stewart-David, Christopher Tarry, Ralph Tiffin, Bill Ure, Arun Vaidya-Nathan, Meurig Williams
Organisations
Advantage West Midlands, Association of Community Rail Partnerships, Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry, CoSLA, Devon and Cornwall Business Council, Eurotunnel plc, Freight Transport Association, Highland Rail Partnership, Local Government Association, Private Wagon Federation, Rail Freight Group, Rail Industry Association, Railway Civil Engineers’ Association, Transport 2000, Welsh Assembly Government

The continuing existing Industry Members
Alstom Transport UK Ltd, Amec Spie Rail (UK) Ltd, Amey Rail Ltd, Arriva Trains Wales Ltd, Balfour Beatty Rail Plant Ltd, Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd, c2c rail Ltd, Carillion Construction Ltd, Department for Transport, English Welsh & Scottish Railway Ltd, Eurostar (UK) Ltd, Fastline Ltd, First Engineering Ltd, Freightliner Group Ltd, GNER Holdings Ltd, GrantRail Ltd, Great Western Trains Co Ltd, Heathrow Express Operating Company Ltd, London & North Western Railway Company Ltd, London Underground Ltd, Merlin Rail Ltd, Pre Metro Operations Ltd, Serco Railtest Ltd, Siemens Plc, South West Trains Ltd, Southern, The Chiltern Railway Company Ltd, Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive, West Coast Railway Company Ltd, West Coast Trains Ltd.

About Network Rail
Network Rail is the ‘not for dividend’ owner and operator of Britain’s railway infrastructure, which includes the tracks, signals, tunnels, bridges, viaducts, level crossings and stations – the largest of which we also manage. We aim to provide a safe, reliable and efficient rail infrastructure for freight and passenger trains to use. Our website: http://www.networkrail.co.uk