Epsom businesses turned out on Tuesday to show their support for the Zone Six campaign.

As another 250 signatures for the online petition poured in over the past week, the business community stepped up pressure on Southern for the change - by printing and displaying our campaign posters.

Tina Mountain, chairman of the Conservative Association, said the issue of workers paying extra to travel to work in Epsom had to be addressed.

She said: "It’s an absolute travesty. I’ve just been speaking to an employee in Lakeland who is paying the best part of £5 a week extra and she only comes in from Sutton. If she could use an Oyster card she would save that money.

"It’s a problem which needs redress as soon as possible. If people can get here cheaper they will come and shop and I think this is a much better shopping centre than Sutton."

Maria Van der Merwe, who works at Michael Everett and Co estate agents in the town centre, said: "It will be a boost for the town centre and make Epsom more desirable.

"Lots of commuters are already moving here and Epsom is a key hub to get into London. I think it makes sense and is long overdue."

James Fleury, a marketing officer at Lester Bowden, said Epsom had much to offer but people are not being given the chance to experience this.

He said: "I think the Zone Six campaign is a fantastic idea. Epsom is a vibrant and elegant town, but people don’t come here because they are limited by the travel.

"Lester Bowden is one of Epsom’s oldest businesses and we would really like to see a change as it’s very important that the town centre moves forward."

And Epsom-based music teacher and performer, Gordon Livesey, said: "With Epsom station being such an important junction and a main station I think it is really important that it should be incorporated into Zone Six and made part of the larger London network.

"It’s crazy that little stations like Ewell East or Ewell West are in Zone Six and this huge station here which is an important changing point is not."

Zone 6 campaign

Click here for more on the Zone 6 campaign and to sign our petition