Change of responsibility for Gatwick train station
31.01.12
The day-to-day running of Gatwick Airport railway station has been transferred from Network Rail to Southern Trains as part of its multi-million pound redevelopment. The management of the station was swapped yesterday, with Southern saying it is better placed to operate it.
The airport station is currently undergoing a £53 million upgrade funded by Network Rail and the airport. The redevelopment includes building a new platform, a replacement stairway with an escalator and new lift on platforms five and six. The works will also see the station concourse area refurbished, and improvements to the track and signalling which rail chiefs say will mean more reliable journeys and less congestion.
However, the major construction work is not expected to start until the autumn, after the Olympics, so that visitors using the airport to attend the Games will not experience disruption. The improvements should be completed by the end of 2013.
Southern director David Scorey said: ‘We already manage 156 stations and that station management, which includes provision of excellent levels of customer service and train dispatch, is at the core of our business. It [transferring the operation of the station] was the obvious thing to do, especially as the station is set for major redevelopment, and I know that airline passengers and commuters alike will benefit tremendously from this move.’
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