THOUSANDS have slammed a controversial decision to award a royal honour on the boss of Network Rail following weeks of chaos and disruption for rail passengers around the North West.

Mark Carne, the chief executive of Network Rail, was awarded a CBE on Friday in the Queen's Birthday Honours- a decision which has been blasted by MP's and members of the public alike. 

The CBE was given 'in recognition of contribution to the modernisation of the rail infrastructure' despite months of disruption for rail users across the country.

The rail boss, who is expected to step from his post in the following months, has been under mounting pressure from the government following growing issues on the rail network.

Blackburn with Darwen Councillor Phil Reily, who also sits on the board for Transport for the North, said the whole situation was 'inappropriate'. 

He said: "It doesn't feel very correct that this honour has been awarded at this current time- it's inappropriate.

"Under the current circumstances of the rail industry it is not surprising that a lot of people are raising their eyebrows at the decision to give this honour.

"It's also in my personal view that these kinds of honours should be specifically reserved for members of the public who contribute greatly to their communities, not to very highly paid business men."

The Department for Transport admitted that the timing of the announcement was 'unfortunate', but also added that recent problems shouldn't detract from his overall service for the rail industry.

Emily Yates, of the association of British Commuters, described the debacle as a 'pantomime'. 

She said: "It is a sign that the rail industry is badly out of touch with the real pain and suffering that people are going through."

Network Rail, which is the owns most of the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales was recently blamed for the 'shambolic' rail service which has been operated under Northern Rail over the past three weeks since the introduction of a new timetable. 

The number of trains either cancelled or more than 30 minutes late on Northern and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) routes averaged 11% and 13% respectively in the first two weeks of the new timetables.

Performance on some lines was significantly worse, with many commuters having to wait on platforms for several hours.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has predominantly blamed the disruption on Mr Carne’s Network Rail.

The minister said the organisation was “very late” in approving the new timetables while a failure to complete infrastructure projects in the North had delayed the introduction of new electric trains needed to operate the services.