▁sal ary ▁of ▁£ 6 1 3 , 0 0 0 . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁estimated ▁that , ▁during ▁the ▁eight ▁years ▁he ▁worked ▁at ▁the ▁company , ▁C ouch er ▁received ▁more ▁than ▁£ 7 mill ion ▁in ▁pay ▁and ▁bon uses . ▁ ▁C ouch er ▁announced ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁step ▁down ▁as ▁Chief ▁Executive ▁of ▁Network ▁Rail ▁stating ▁that ▁this ▁was ▁for ▁personal ▁reasons . ▁He ▁remained ▁in ▁situ ▁while ▁his ▁successor ▁was ▁sought . ▁C ouch er ▁officially ▁left ▁Network ▁Rail ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁accepting ▁a ▁payment ▁from ▁the ▁company ▁of ▁£ 1 . 6 ▁million . ▁The ▁payment ▁was ▁critic ised ▁in ▁the ▁media ▁by ▁the ▁then ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Transport ▁Philip ▁Hamm ond ▁and ▁trade ▁union ▁leaders . ▁C ouch er ' s ▁successor , ▁David ▁H igg ins , ▁started ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁C ouch er ▁was ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁controvers y ▁regarding ▁his ▁management ▁techniques ▁following ▁alleg ations ▁in ▁the ▁media ▁by ▁the ▁Transport ▁Sal ar ied ▁Staff s ' ▁Association ▁about ▁bul lying ▁of ▁Network ▁Rail ▁staff ▁and ▁financial ▁impro p ri ety ▁involving ▁Victoria ▁P ender . ▁An ▁internal ▁exam ination ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁by ▁Network ▁Rail ▁cleared ▁C ouch er ▁of ▁any ▁wrong do ing . ▁An ▁independent ▁enqu iry ▁head ed ▁by ▁Anthony ▁White ▁Q C ▁in ▁ 2 0 1