Tory MPs condemn Tube driver's £61,000 package as 'platinum-plated deal'

London's highest paid Tube driver is receiving a benefits package worth more than £61,000, an Evening Standard investigation can reveal.

The drivers were immediately attacked over their "platinum-plated" deals as the scale of the salary and perks were uncovered.

The pay, pension, overtime and free travel package of a single driver amounted to £61,218, equal to that of some deputy head teachers or senior NHS managers.

It was paid before Tube union bosses forced through a four-year inflation-busting deal which could see train drivers increase their basic pay to £52,000 by 2015. The package includes pension contributions of more than 30 per cent - far beyond the rest of the public sector.

Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng, who sits on the Commons transport committee, said: "Many ordinary commuters going into London will be staggered at some of these sums. This pension is platinum-plated."

Tory MP Dominic Raab added: "Passengers struggling in the capital will be shocked to find out that they are subsidising Tube driver's pensions which are beyond reach for the vast majority in the private sector. For all the tub-thumping of the unions, that is where the stark social unfairness lies."

Last year's highest earner's deal is made up of £42,424 basic salary, employer's pension contribution of £13,151, free travel - including for spouse or partner - of £4,032, overtime of £1,361 and customer service bonus (paid to all staff depending on passenger satisfaction levels) of £250.

The revelations renewed demands for driverless Tube trains and sparked fresh accusations that the deals had only been won by unions "holding London to ransom" with strike threats always in the background. TfL refused to identify the highest paid driver.

James Cleverly, leader of the London Assembly Tory group, said: "The fact that a Tube driver can earn over £60,000 per year shows that the quicker driverless technology is implemented on the Underground network, the bigger the saving to the hard pressed taxpayer.

"Tube drivers get very well paid for what they do yet the unions have held Londoners to ransom over pay increases. These figures show just how unreasonable these demands are."

Nigel Holness, London Underground network services director, said: "Tube drivers earn a fixed salary of around £44,545 per annum plus benefits. This is comparable to other major train operators in the UK and reflects the pressured and skilled nature of the work and the unsociable hours that often have to be undertaken.

"Employer pension contributions are not part of an employee's salary and the cost of providing free travel to staff and their nominees on TfL services is nil, given that much of this travel is for work purposes."

Basic salary £42,424
Employer's pension contribution £13,151
Customer service bonus£250
Overtime £1,361
Free travel (for two)£4,032*

*Annual zone 6 season ticket Jan 2011 = £2,016

Total £61,218