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Gatwick Station Project Update

One year ago the Gatwick Airport station upgrade achieved its first major project milestone. This vital redevelopment will increase capacity, improve accessibility and transform passenger experience when work is complete in 2023. 
Despite the unexpected challenge of a global pandemic, the project team and all delivery partners worked together to successfully re plan work to take advantage of the drop in passenger numbers and press on with construction, while ensuring all workers are safe and the station is open to passengers. 
You can read some of highlights from the first year of the Gatwick station upgrade below and watch this film to find out why this is an exciting time for the project. 

May 2020: Stage One gets under way despite Covid19

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Weeks after the first Covid19 lockdown was announced, Gatwick Airport agreed for the project to use the car rental area as a work site compound. 39 enhanced welfare eco units were initially installed for individual use by site workers. This has since increased to over 100. This best practice solution ensured the continued safety, health and wellbeing of all site workers.
The first major milestone for the upgrade - start of stage one - was achieved on 17 May 2020 with the closure of platform 7, which allowed for demolition work to begin. 

July 2020: Start of foundations work

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The start of foundations work was an important part on the journey to transforming Gatwick Airport station. By mid-August the team had also started work on platforms 3 and 4, in preparation for the arrival of a new lift and stairway, as part of major accessibility improvements around the station.

September 2020: Scaling new heights

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In late September, despite difficult weather conditions a tower crane was successfully installed in the small construction site behind platform 7. This was another important achievement for the project, as it would enable the construction of the brand new Airport concourse superstructure above platforms 5 to 7. October saw the start of enabling works for a new Back of House building for station staff. 

November 2020: Stage two starts two months early

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1 November 2020 saw the reopening of platform 7 two months early, marking the start of stage two of the upgrade. This was followed by critical stage two demolition work.
To ensure the station remains open while construction continues in a highly constricted environment, in December the team built a special overbridge spanning the railway, which would allow engineers to safely move materials to the island platforms 3 and 4. 

March 2021: Stage two foundation work completed early

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As stage two foundation work was completed early in March, track realignment work got under way to enable the widening of platforms 5 and 6. 
171m2 of low carbon concrete was used to to build the lift pit foundation for new lifts on platform 7, as Back of House building work progressed.

May 2021: Station entrance refurbishment under way

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In addition to building a new Airport concourse superstructure, the project will also refurbish the existing station concourse.
This began with the refit of the North Terminal link span, which was complete in time for the reopening of international travel on 17 May 2021. The day also marked the one year milestone anniversary for the Gatwick station project.

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For more information on the Gatwick Airport station redevelopment click here

 

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