Airport News
Work is scheduled to start in 2017 and complete in 2020 and the gateways says passengers will experience a seamless transition between the airport and the new station.
Improvements and new features will include:
- a doubling in size of the concourse area to reduce congestion and improve the passenger experience
- more escalators and lifts to improve access to all platforms
- intuitive passenger flow and clear concise information
Under the heads of terms agreement signed by both Gatwick and government, Gatwick will contribute £30 million (€38 million) and Network Rail a further £30 million (€38 million) toward the deal, which is still subject to further detailed commercial negotiations.
The improvements will see the rail station comfortably manage the expected growth in air passengers using the single runway airport, with demand at the station set to increase by five million to 20 million rail passengers a year by 2025.
Guy Stephenson, Gatwick’s chief commercial officer, explains: "This agreement is a great example of the private sector and government working together in partnership to deliver a game changing and affordable project for the future.
"This new station builds on the ongoing transformation of Gatwick Airport and will deliver a first-class gateway for visitors, air passengers and the 1 million rail commuters who use Gatwick station every year.”
This major station upgrade will be delivered alongside a significant increase in capacity on rail services through Gatwick, between Brighton and London, as a result of committed and planned enhancements.
These will improve resilience and the quality of rail service through Gatwick, including:
- New Gatwick Express trains by 2016 and new Thameslink trains by 2018
- Connections to Crossrail at Farringdon in 2019
- New twice hourly direct connections to Peterborough and Cambridge
- A train to central London every 2.5 minutes by 2025
- Quicker journey times to the West End and City, than from Heathrow
- 15 million people brought within 60 minutes of Gatwick
