Working around the clock on third airport closure

THOUSANDS of tons of concrete have been excavated during the third airport closure.

The runway closed at 9.30pm on Monday and will remain shut until tomorrow morning.

During the first night of the closure, 1,500 tons of concrete was removed over a stretch of 30 metres at the western end of the runway using a machine called a guillotine. The voids will be filled in with crushed stone and levelled off with asphalt.

Airport director Colin Le Ray said good progress had been made but there was still a long way to go.

'Obviously a lot of the airport work happens at night but for major tasks like this that could not be carried out economically or viably just overnight. Closing for three nights and two days means the work can be carried out much more productively.'