In a 5-month project that began over the weekend, Stansted’s single runway will be completely resurfaced.
To minimize disruption to the airport operations and surrounding community, work on this 3 km runway will be performed at night. The work will be performed five nights per week, on Saturdays through Wednesdays.
In the first 11 weeks, the runway will be closed from midnight to 6 a.m. However, during the second phase, a shorter length will be opened to allow flights to continue operating safely.
Throughout the work, energy-efficient LEDs will replace 1,300 runway lights. Moreover, approximately 50,000 tons of asphalt will be used to cover an area equivalent to 25 football fields in size.
The last complete resurfacing of Stansted’s runway occurred in 2006, when the airport handled 15 million passengers, compared to 22 million last year and 28 million in 2019 before the pandemic.
Due to the effects of the Covid pandemic, the airport moved its annual runway maintenance from nighttime to daytime in April 2020.
Engineers were able to access the runway during the day, thanks to the reduction in flights. Otherwise, hundreds of aircraft would normally be landing and taking off.
The director of airport planning and development, Neil Thompson, stated that since the runway is unquestionably an important asset for the airport and can accommodate up to 50 aircraft movements per hour, it is essential that it be maintained to the highest possible standard at a busy international gateway like London Stansted.
“A project of this magnitude is extremely complex and clearly presents us with several operational challenges, as we will need to remove and replace approximately 100 meters of runway surface in just six working hours each night before safely reopening it before the morning’s first flight.
“At the same time, we are upgrading the runway and taxiway lights with high-performance, energy-efficient LED lamps that are essential for the safe operation of aircraft, particularly in low-visibility conditions.
“We aim to complete the work as quickly and safely as possible to limit the disruption to the airport’s operation and minimize any impacts on our local community. The entire project has been meticulously planned.”