Council leader's fears for Gatwick station revamp (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Council leader's fears for Gatwick station revamp

4:44pm Wednesday 8th July 2009

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A county council leader has spoken of his fears that plans to revamp Gatwick Airport station in time for the London 2012 Games may have run into cash problems.

Henry Smith, leader of West Sussex County Council, has written to Network Rail expressing his concern that detailed proposals promised at a meeting in February have still not been announced.

He said he wants to have the station improved so it can act as a major gateway into the country, but added he feared an opportunity to “bring the station into the 21st century may be lost.”

Coun Smith said he was concerned over reports that only track and signalling improvements would take place, and that there was no money to improve the station.

In his letter to a senior Network Rail executive, he said: “When I met with you on February 4 to discuss plans for Gatwick station, I was assured that Network Rail understood the priority that not only the county council, but other partners in the region, place on these improvements. “We understood that you would shortly be making public your detailed proposals, but since then we have heard nothing officially, and indeed all that we hear unofficially is about a lack of funds, meaning the opportunity may be missed.”

He continued: “West Sussex County Council understands that the track and signalling renewals are funded, but that there is not enough money to make the station improvements.

“The county council urges Network Rail to make every possible effort to secure enough funds and suggests that the Government has a role to play in modernising what will be the second most important international gateway to the 2012 London Olympics.

“This is a great opportunity to not only improve the experience for train passengers at the airport, but also to increase the capacity of the station with the addition of a seventh platform “The county council supports Gatwick Airport Limited's surface access strategy for the airport which has a target of 40% of airport passengers coming to or from the airport by public transport, which will be predominantly by train.

“There are equally challenging targets for airport staff to use the train.

“These targets will not be met if the station is not improved and brought into the 21st century."

Speaking today, Coun Smith added: “I have also stressed in my letter that this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve the railway station at Gatwick. “The station was last improved over 20 years ago and since then the number of rail passengers at the airport station has increased considerably.”

He said: “Gatwick station is the busiest airport station in the country and must be one of the busiest at an airport in Europe.”

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