John Armitt receives a bonus of more than half of his salary

Chief executive John Armitt will receive �270,000 - 55.6% of his salary, with other directors being awarded the same percentage.

Senior managers will be paid varying amounts for the company reaching Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) targets.

But the rail union has criticised the decision to pay other staff �1,112.

Network Rail's remuneration committee decided the size and distribution of the bonuses.

NETWORK RAIL BONUSES Chief executive John Armitt: �270,000 Deputy chief executive Iain Coucher: �240,834 Projects and engineering director Peter Henderson: �179,652 Finance director Ron Henderson: �179,652 Senior managers: various amounts All others: �1,112

They are worked out on targets set by the ORR and relate to delays attributable to Network Rail, the condition of the rail network's assets and how efficient the company has been.

Network Rail chairman Ian McAllister said employees "from signal box to track depot to boardroom" would receive bonuses.

In the past year, he said, train delays had been reduced by 17%, efficiency savings made and assets improved - for example with new rails laid.

"We have had an excellent year delivering a more reliable, punctual and cost effective railway for passengers and freight customers alike," he said.

"It is only right that employees should share in that success."

'Fat controllers'

But general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport union Bob Crow criticised the bonus pay scale.

"A bonus of nearly twice last year's is welcome recognition of the enormous contribution Network Rail's workforce is making," he said.

COMPANY ACHIEVEMENTS 17% reduction in train delays to 11.4m minutes Punctuality at 4-year high 83.6% trains on time, up 2.4% 600 miles new rail laid Broken rails, signals passed at danger at lowest-levels

"However, there must be a question mark over the fairness of criteria used to arrive at a bonus of �1,112 for the people who actually go out and do the work, while the executive directors award themselves up to 55% of their salaries."

General secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association Gerry Doherty said: "It's staggering that some of the executive directors will receive bonus payments in excess of �260,000.

"It's little wonder that these guys are considered 'fat' controllers."

Network Rail has said it will face tougher targets in the years to 2010 and it intends to cut delays by more than the targets it has to meet.