- Increased investment to help accommodate record passenger growth
- New tender process to include projects associated with second runway
- Gatwick expansion remains the cheaper, faster and more sustainable scheme
LONDON, 2016-Feb-12 — /Travel PR News/ — Gatwick Airport has today announced the acceleration and expansion of its investment programme, totalling £2.5billion, to cope with rapid passenger growth, and has opened discussions with contractors about building its second runway.
Speaking to a group of more than 80 construction leaders and chief executives at Construction News’ quarterly breakfast briefing, Gatwick’s Development Director Raymond Melee told guests that Gatwick is rapidly approaching full capacity and investment plans are being brought forward to cope with growing passenger numbers.
Gatwick will soon hit the 41 million annual passengers mark – a global record for a single runway airport – and is racing towards full capacity.
Gatwick Development Director Raymond Melee said:
“Gatwick has already invested £1.3 billion since becoming independent from BAA ownership, transforming the way we operate to deliver a world-class experience for our passengers.
“Over the next five years we will be investing £1.2 billion to meet accelerated passenger growth and bringing forward crucial infrastructure projects.
“Gatwick will in the very near future also be seeking expressions of interest from consultants to tender for work on our second runway building programme.
“It is important that Gatwick is ready to start work as soon as we get Government approval to deliver the increased capacity Britain desperately needs.
“Opening discussions with contractors now means we will be well placed to take forward our plans for a second runway, on time and on budget.
“Gatwick remains the cheaper, faster, and more sustainable scheme. Legally, politically and environmentally, we are the only deliverable option that can actually deliver the jobs, growth and additional capacity that airport expansion would bring.”
New projects being brought forward to meet accelerated passenger growth include:
- the North Terminal International Departure Lounge expansion
- the North Terminal short-stay car park
- Border Force expansions in both terminals
- additional pier served stands
There will also be a focus on improving current facilities including:
- Pier and gate room refurbishments
- food and beverage enhancements
- additional remote aircraft parking stands and changes to taxiways and stands to optimise the airfield operations
- improvement to Gatwick’s roads and bus and coach facilities
- continued focus on operational resilience and maintenance of assets across the airport.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Investment programme since change of ownership in 2009: £2.5 billion up to 2021 (current estimate) vs. £2.0bn up to 2019 (estimate as at December 2014).
For more information contact:
Gatwick Airport press office
t: + 44 (0) 1293 505000
e: gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com
About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the most efficient single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries for more than 40 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South East region, generating around 21,000 on-airport jobs and a further 10,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is south of Central London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express, and is part of the Oyster contactless payment network. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
The Government has indicated it will make a decision this year on whether Gatwick airport should be expanded. Gatwick’s second runway will deliver the UK the same number of passengers, the same number of long haul routes, better UK and regional connections, and the economic boost the UK needs, all at a dramatically lower environmental impact, at less than half the cost of Heathrow, and with no public subsidy.
For further information on Gatwick Airport see www.gatwickairport.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatwick_Airport
SOURCE: Gatwick Airport Limited