Crawley station receives £6M facelift

Over the past year, Network Rail has been working with Southern, Crawley Borough Council and Arora Group to improve the station facilities and revamp the Crawley station's 1960s design to bring it up to modern standards.

Part of the work included extending the concourse, re-glazing the ticket hall, improving signage to make it easier for passengers making their way around the station and installing additional ticket gates that have been widened to improve accessibility. Work also involved creating a new plaza at the front of the station for the local community.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s interim Sussex route director, said: “It’s great to see that Crawley station has been given a new lease of life – this was the first major upgrade to facilities in over 40 years. The teams prioritised developing spaces for passengers to relax before and after making their journeys which is why a larger waiting area was created, along with a new café and retail units with direct access to the concourse.

“I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we worked closely with our partners at GTR, Arora Group and Crawley Borough Council to carry out this work to bring up the station to modern standards.”

Councillor Atif Nawaz, Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development at Crawley Borough Council, said: “It’s great to see the refurbished station concourse, which is already providing a much-enhanced experience for passengers. Crawley Station is a major gateway into the town centre and these improvements – coupled with those planned for outside the station – deliver a better environment for all station users.”

Expanded cycle storage facilities have also been installed at the station, making it easier for people to park and leave their bikes at the station using the two-tier, lift and lock facility – 44 additional spaces in total. As part of a wider scheme planned for the area around the station – a new public footbridge over the railway will be built.

Keith Jipps, Govia Thameslink Railway's infrastructure director, said: "People using the station can now enjoy more space, new retail units, better shelter on the platforms, refurbished toilets and better cycle parking. We’re looking forward to the next phase of improvements, for car parking.

The station refurbishments also form part of a wider programme of work which is being led by Crawley Borough Council and aims to redevelop Crawley town centre by improving the look and feel of the area.