London Gatwick airport's £250million bigger and better station ready to open - here are the improvements they have made

A bigger, better and brighter station with a new second concourse and airport entrance will double the space for the millions of passengers that use the station each year.

Eight new escalators and five new lifts will provide a step change for accessibility. The new lifts and escalators, along with four new stairways and widened platforms, will help passengers move between the train station and the airport more quickly and easily.

Easier journeys from train to plane will benefit passengers across the wider network, helping keep trains running on time by removing the congestion and queuing on platforms that delay trains.

Passengers travelling on the Brighton Main Line are already seeing the benefits of the project thanks to track upgrades that have helped reduce journey times between Brighton and London to one hour on some services.

The existing station concourse is also bigger and better than ever before with new customer information systems, more ticket gates, a dedicated passenger assistance point enhancing the passenger experience and helping people move through the station more quickly.

The new concourse will act as the new entrance for people accessing the airport terminal, while the existing concourse will be for people exiting. The existing station concourse, station footbridges and the South Terminal linkspan have been refurbished and reconfigured to provide a seamless one-way system to the airport from the train station.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail Sussex route director, said: “We are proud to have worked 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 across the region by giving them quicker journeys and a more reliable timetable.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper, said: “With the millions of passengers travelling into Gatwick Airport by train each year, this station is a major public transport hub that is being upgraded with Government funding – improving the train-to-plane journey and delivering more reliable services for passengers.

“This project demonstrates that this Government is committed to funding improvements to our rail network, transforming a vital station into an impressive gateway to the UK and encouraging 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, right now, the station struggles with the numbers using it and that holds up our trains, delaying everyone.

“This stunning redevelopment will fix all that. 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: “This bigger, better and brighter new station concourse will dramatically improve the experience for our passengers. The number of passengers getting to the airport by rail is growing steadily and now over 40% use the train. This fantastic new, fully accessible station concourse will encourage even more passengers to come to the airport using sustainable public transport.”

Listed are the improvements and changes that have been made to the airport.

• A second bigger concourse has been built as a new entrance into the Airport. This has doubled the amount of space for passengers and supports movement around the station.
• The existing station entrance and concourse have been refurbished with new flooring, new wayfinding, new wide gatelines, a modern open plan ticket area and an additional 500m² of space creating a much better experience for passengers.
• Eight new escalators, five new lifts and four new stairways have been installed across the station.
• Platforms 6 has been widened.
• Wider platforms, new escalators, lifts and stairways.
• Remodelled track in the Gatwick area to speed up journeys for passengers travelling on the Brighton Main Line.
• New customer information screens.
• A much bigger self-service ticket vending machine area with 17 machines.
• New bright, energy efficient LED lighting.
• A new special assistance point.