Basingstoke, Hampshire, United Kingdom – Scott Wilson, the international multi-disciplinary consultancy group, offers expert comment on the possible issues surrounding Bristol Airport runway.

Alan Campbell, Director of Airports at Scott Wilson, explains, “ The situation at Bristol Airport arises from the inherent difficulties that all modern civilian airports have to face on achieving the balance between implementing rehabilitation works and maintaining operations. It is accepted that airport pavements, like roads, wear out and will need to be resurfaced. In addition, as with roads, the works needs to be completed with minimum disruption to on-going operations.”

“It is entirely understandable that airports would seek to undertake the works at times when air traffic is comparatively low and during periods when it is possible to arrange appropriate working ‘windows’ during flight schedules. Over the past few years, in conjunction with improved technology, it has become common that works are undertaken on an overnight basis during the winter months. Such works have been completed successfully at many airports, including Glasgow and Heathrow.”

Campbell concludes, “Understandably, carrying out works at night during the winter months introduces greater risks (particularly weather-related risks) to a project that are discussed at great length with the project team, the licensing authority (when making the safety case) and with the airlines (when discussing the construction and operations schedules). During periods of inclement weather, it is vital that drainage and friction characteristics of the runway are appropriate for the traffic. However, it should be noted that in times of particular inclement weather, compliant runways (including those without works) could become ‘slippery’ when wet and require pilots to take care during operations.”