New look Gatwick Airport station opens doubling the space for millions of passengers
A new look Gatwick Airport station has this morning (21 November) opened to passengers.
A bigger station with a new, second concourse and airport entrance has now opened, doubling the space for the millions of passengers that use the station each year.
Eight new escalators and five new lifts will improve accessibility to platforms.
The existing station concourse is also bigger than ever before with new customer information systems, more ticket gates and a dedicated passenger assistance point.
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail Sussex route director, said: "I’m delighted to see the upgraded Gatwick Airport station open today, providing the millions of passengers that use the station each year with a fantastic and fit-for-purpose station that supports the ambitions of London Gatwick and the significant growth in passengers expected in the years to come.
"This has been a highly complex and challenging project and I am proud of how hard our teams have worked in close conjunction with our partners to deliver a station upgrade that makes journeys to the airport much easier for all passengers and encourages people to ditch the car and travel by rail, the cleanest and greenest way to travel.
"This project is not just for those making their way to the airport, the work benefits passengers right across the route by giving them quicker journeys and a more reliable timetable. I hope passengers enjoy this newly upgraded station.”
Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said: "With millions of people travelling into Gatwick Airport by train each year, this station is a major public transport hub and has been upgraded thanks to Government funding, improving the train-to-plane journey and delivering more reliable services for passengers.
"Today’s opening demonstrates this Government’s commitment to funding improvements to our rail network, transforming a vital station into an impressive gateway to the UK and helping more British and international passengers to travel by train.”
Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: "Our trains sustainably speed people to the airport in just half an hour from London - and that's much better for the environment than driving.
"However, the station has been struggling with the numbers using it and that holds up our trains, delaying everyone.
"This stunning redevelopment has fixed all that. I genuinely believe our customers are going to love the extra space and improved accessibility that will make the journey between train and plane quicker, easier and more attractive."
Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer, London Gatwick, said: "From today, airport passengers travelling by train will have a dramatically improved experience as they pass through the bigger, better and brighter new station concourse. This fantastic new, fully accessible station concourse will encourage even more passengers to come to the airport using sustainable public transport."