Paying rail bosses huge bonuses "adds insult to injury" for passengers inconvenienced by engineering overruns, MPs have said.
In a new report released on Monday, the Commons transport committee said it was "quite extraordinary" that Network Rail's top three directors would get annual bonuses of more than £200,000 each, with chief executive Iain Coucher receiving £305,000.
According to the MPs, the overruns had "laid bare an entire catalogue of management failings for all to see".
It said there were "serious deficiencies in terms of central control and internal oversight mechanisms within Network Rail" and described the overruns as "quite simply unacceptable".
The report called for more of Network Rail's work to be brought back "in-house" and welcomed plans for 1,300 new train carriages, although warned that this was unlikely to significantly reduce overcrowding.
Committee chairman Louise Ellman said: "The railways are increasingly popular and the [government's] 30-year strategy has the potential to provide a tremendous sense of purpose and direction. However, the [2007 rail] white paper lacks vision and represents a missed opportunity."
While Network Rail was "critical to the achievement of the objectives of the white paper" she said the engineering overruns had "provided evidence of flawed management of teams and of contractors, including the dubious practice of self-certification".
She added: "The chairman of Network Rail did not display any sense of urgency when he gave evidence to us.
"The bonuses paid out to senior management at Network Rail added insult to injury for the long-suffering passengers who have had to struggle with the consequences of the company's failings."
Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker accused the government of an "abject failure to plan for a high-speed rail network", saying it had "condemned passengers to years more misery and overcrowding".
"Delays, slow trains, endless replacement bus services and out-dated working practices have created cattle-truck Britain while other countries have created modern, efficient railways," he said.
"Travellers should be encouraged to choose public transport, but they are being given little reason to ditch their polluting cars.
"Momentum is clearly gathering for a high-speed rail network, but yet again the government is being left behind on the platform."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd