Alderney runway set to undergo major repairs

The long-term refurbishment of the main runway has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but in the meantime repairs must now take place to keep the airport operational.

Newly-developed materials will be used to keep the airport operational until a decision is reached on the various options for runway strengthening, widening or lengthening to accommodate larger aircraft.

Dan Townsend, head of airside operations for Guernsey and Alderney airports, said this work was important.

‘This programme will ensure that the airport remains fully operational not only for the period of the works but also until one of the three options under consideration for the capital project is approved and completed,’ he said.

‘We have carefully planned the extent and nature of the summer works and we are committed to keeping the airport fully operational until the rehabilitation project is delivered.’

Specialist UK Contractor Amco Giffin will undertake interim repairs. It will be carrying out 20 nights of work on the runway, aprons and taxiways from Monday.

The contractor will take possession of the airport runway and associated surfaces each evening, when daily flights have finished, and then hand it back before the regular airport opening time each morning. The airport will therefore be kept fully operational throughout the summer works.

Medevac arrangements will not be affected by the repairs.

Key areas of repair include resolving a subsidence issue on Bravo taxiway, making temporary repairs on the runway with improved materials, and undertaking full patch repairs where necessary on the runway, aprons and taxiways.

All repairs and cracks will be sealed ahead of the winter season.

If the option to extend the runway is chosen and the runway rehabilitation project is delayed beyond spring 2022, Guernsey Ports will assess whether further work is needed for summer 2022.

In the light of this possibility, some repair work has been brought forward and included in the 2021 programme.

The States of Guernsey states that it remains committed to the full runway refurbishment, which has been included in the list of priority capital projects in its draft Government Work Plan. It was first approved in 2019, and airport specialist Aecom was subsequently appointed to progress the design.

It was hoped that a contractor to carry out the main refurbishment work would be appointed by mid-2021. However the project had to be suspended last year due to Covid-19, which has affected all areas of the aviation industry particularly badly. It is now expected that the main construction contract will be awarded at the end of 2021.

n Members of Guernsey Ports’ technical team will visit Alderney on Wednesday 14 July to meet members of the Chamber of Commerce and States of Alderney Members.

They will provide an update on the main rehabilitation project, as well as a walk-through at the halfway stage of the current repairs.

A drop-in session for the public is also being planned for later in the month.