£18m expansion in contactless rail ticket payments

More contactless payments at stations in Surrey and Sussex are due to be available from 14 December

More train stations in south-east England will allow commuters to pay at barriers for their journeys using contactless payments.

The upgrade will be rolled out at more than 50 stations.

Surrey and West Sussex stations include Dorking (main), Ashstead, East Grinstead, Leatherhead, Lingfield, Oxted, Box Hill & Westhumble, Reigate and Woldingham, starting from 14 December.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said this £18.7m upgrade aimed to "make rail fares and tickets more convenient, accessible and flexible".

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: "We're delivering straightforward, stress-free train travel across the south-east, supporting passengers and boosting economic growth, jobs and homes."

The DfT says contactless ticketing allows passengers to use a bank card or contactless-enabled device to enter any train station, instead of manually buying individual or return tickets.

A DfT spokesperson said: "Other stations modernising ticketing include those used by publicly-owned train companies Greater Anglia and South Western Railway."

These will include stations in Essex, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire.