Plans have been submitted to redevelop Gatwick Airport railway station.

Proposals by Network Rail, in partnership with Gatwick Airport Ltd, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and the Department for Transport, include reducing congestion and improving passenger experience at the station.

With the station currently serving 19 million passengers a year, the proposals aim to reduce crowding at the station, improve passenger flow and provide better connections between the railway station, airport terminals and onward travel destinations.

Features include;

• almost doubling the size of the rail station concourse

• installing eight new escalators, five new lifts and four new stairways to improve accessibility and passenger flow

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• widening platforms 5 and 6 to reduce overcrowding

• upgrading connections to the south terminal with improved passenger information and;

• a new attractive roof structure.

Overall, the plans will accommodate forecasted rail growth up to 2036.

Subject to planning permission and a final decision by all funding parties, construction could begin in 2019 with project completion by 2022.

John Halsall, Network Rail manager director for the South East route, said: "The proposals will transform passenger experience, support airport growth and, along with other upgrades of the Brighton Mainline – the £300m reliability fund and our proposals for Croydon – improve journeys and provide a boost to the local, regional and national economy.

"Our proposals for the station are still being developed in detail and the submission of the planning application is an important step forward in this process."

Guy Stephenson, Chief Commercial Officer at Gatwick Airport, said: "The new Gatwick station is set to reduce congestion and give passengers a much improved experience, including a more seamless transition between airport and station.

"More than a million local commuters and business people also use the station each year and will benefit from this fantastic example of the public and private sector working together to deliver a world class transport hub."

(LM/MH)