Some welcome news at LGW.

Passengers travelling by rail between Gatwick and Central London will be able to use ‘pay as you go’ ticket technology from the new year.

Oyster card and contactless payments will be introduced as new methods of payment from January for journeys between the airport and London on Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink services.

It is hoped the scheme will reduce overcrowding at stations – a particular problem at Gatwick at peak times – and offer better value for money.

The currently single journey paper peak-time ticket costs £15.40 from London to Gatwick, excluding the Gatwick Express. With pay as you go, a rush hour trip will cost £14 and £8 off-peak, London mayor Boris Johnson announced.