Commuters travelling to and from Epsom will soon get to tap in and out of the railway station using an Oyster Card and contactless payment, it has been confirmed.

In a statement to Epsom Comet, the local MP Chris Grayling revealed the new ticketing system would be rolled out by the end of March, but an exact date remains to be confirmed.

The MP said: “I hope this will make Epsom easier to access and use and will end the situation where people arriving at Epsom expecting to be able to use Oyster face a penalty fare.”

But those expecting ticket prices to go down next year will be disappointed to learn Epsom railway station will not be expanded into zone 6 of the London Oyster.

The railway station will remain outside the London Oyster card zone, unlike nearby stations Epsom Downs or Tattenham Corner, and fares will remain more or less the same.

Mr Grayling promised fares would stay “broadly in line with what they are now”, due to a lack of funding for a fare cut.

Mr Grayling, who described himself as a “commuter”, also acknowledged the train delays and cancellations experienced by South Western Railway passengers in the past few weeks.

He said: “I saw the Chief Executive of Network Rail earlier this week, and also asked him to make sure that our local route gets access to additional investment to tackle the current problems.

“I commissioned a senior rail figure, Sir Michael Holden, to review the way in which SWR and Network Rail operate together on this network, and he has identified a number of improvements to the way the railway should work.

“These are now starting to be implemented.”