6 years is a bit optimistic.
I was wrong about the £50m extra for Gatwick station. Here is the official story:
Background and context
In November 2012, the Prime Minister asked Sir Howard Davies to chair an Independent Commission to examine the scale and timing of any requirement for additional capacity to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub. The Commission will produce its final recommendations in the summer of 2015.
The Commission was also tasked with identifying and evaluating how any need for additional capacity should be met in the short, medium and long term. As part of this work, the Commission have been examining the case for improving surface access to our existing airports. Sir Howard Davies wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26 November setting out the Commission’s recommendations for improving airport surface access.
The package of measures covers all of Sir Howard and the Commission’s recommendations, although there are understandable differences in tone.
The Commission rightly indentifies surface transport as a factor that affects airline route decisions. This package of measures is designed to make other London airports, particularly Gatwick, more attractive to long haul operators. This is important in securing vital connections to emerging markets as Heathrow is and will remain full and as such operators are unlikely to be able to secure slots there. By enhancing the attractiveness of other London airports, we will also increase the attractiveness of the London market to these carriers and increase the likelihood they will serve London.
What the package includes
Gatwick
Gatwick Airport Station to be fully redeveloped by constructing a new station building and transport interchange south of the present building by 2020 for airport passengers and regional transport users. This station and interchange will be compatible with the long term growth plans developed by Gatwick Airport for the next two decades, subject to the findings of the Airport Commission. It will also support railway demand growth forecast for the wider region over the period.
The new building enables full realisation of the extra track and platform capacity provided at Gatwick by an earlier £50m scheme co-funded by the Government through Network Rail (£42m) and Gatwick Airport (£8m) between 2011 and 2013. It both meets airport growth requirements and stimulates investment in the wider 'Gatwick Diamond' cluster of industries around the airport.
The Government will contribute £50m of capital funding at this stage towards a scheme capped at £180m cost. The full scheme and third party contributions will be defined by December 2014, when funding will be reviewed. Station over-track construction may be timed in parallel with Brighton Main Line resignalling work planned for 2018-19 to reduce cost and disruption.
As the Commission identifies we fully expect Gatwick airport to contribute to this project and will also work with Network Rail to reduce the projects costs. Any gap would however require additional funding to be made available by HMT.
The Government accepts there is scope to enhance the rolling stock used on Gatwick Express services to better meet the needs of airport users. The tender documentation for the future TSGN rail franchise makes clear that evaluation credit is available for bidders who offer high-quality proposals to do that. It is, however, important to recognise the importance of these services to commuters as well as airport users.
The Commission has suggested that further improvements at Gatwick and on the Brighton Main Line be studied. The Government will ensure these are included in the remit of the ongoing Network Rail Sussex and Wessex Route Studies. These had been due to report in Spring 2015, but the Government will accelerate the pace of elements of the studies so that the findings of the study relevant to Gatwick can be taken into account as soon as possible.
Likewise the Government will carry out the Commissions’ suggested studies into Gatwick road access by ensuring that they are considered as part of the Highways Agency’s London Orbital/M23 ongoing Route Based Strategy work.