Fresh fight for runway extension

Friday 01 September 2023

Moves have been made to attempt to get self-funding work started on extending the island’s runway within the airport's current boundaries in less than two years’ time.

Deputy Simon Vermeulen, a member of Economic Development, is rebelling from the rest of his committee which is set to ask the States to pass authority for any decisions on the future of the runway to the States Trading Supervisory Board, which acts as shareholder for the Ports and Aurigny, after years of investigations.

His amendment to that plan seeks to direct the STSB to instead work towards extending the length of the runway to 1,623m by installing an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS) at the eastern end, before La Villiaze Road. 

EMAS works by stopping aircraft that go over a runway threshold using a mix of light crushed materials which sink when weight is applied. It’s currently being installed at London City Airport after receiving UK regulatory approval.

Deputy Vermeulen wants a phased approach to the required works but with the condition it commences before June 2025 at an estimated cost of £22m, which he says should be repaid through new fees which Economic Development should investigate.

He said such an installation would help to create economic growth and be a marker of “action today, not in 10-years time”. 

He added that it could also go some way to alleviate the Ports’ sliding financial position, particularly pronounced at the airport, and that doing so would bolster “security, safety, and stability”. 

States members will be asked to “seize the opportunity of this new technology” when it is debated in the chamber to enable new routes, larger aircraft, higher passenger numbers and benefit Aurigny, he said.

Pictured: How EMAS could fit into the airport's current boundary. Credit: Runway Safe.

Deputy John Dyke, who seconded the amendment, said: “We cannot lose focus on developing Guernsey’s economy and improving our air transport connection options.

“We need to improve the functionality and flexibility of the runway which is currently a brake on developing new routes and leaves us at a competitive disadvantage to Jersey.”

The prospect of larger narrow bodied jet aircraft with fully sold seats visiting the island for a lower cost than physically extending the tarmac is too good to refuse, he added.

“The use of EMAS reduces the cost considerably of achieving this result.”

Pictured: Deputy John Dyke will also not back Economic Development next week.

Economic Developments’ consensus position is that now is not the time to invest in the runway, and instead the STSB should make a decision when the runway is next resurfaced. It estimates that a tarmac extension and changes necessary to the terminal would cost more than £100m. 

There are doubts that a low cost carrier could be attracted to serve the island without heavy subsidy or access to Aurigny’s prime slots at Gatwick. 

It also fears that any change in air connectivity policy brought about from either extension or EMAS would damage sea links, Aurigny, Guernsey Ports’ business model, and flight reliability.

But if the amendment is approved the Committee would be directed to recoup the cost of EMAS, which would initially come out of the capital projects pot, by investigating “suitable service charges” before the end of this year.

Deputy Vermeulen said he has some ideas of how this cash could be raised but declined to reveal “at this stage”. 

The amendment also calls for investigating keeping the current navigation and landing lights in the fields at each end of the runway, rather than replacing them. Deputy Vermeulen said there is “no point in replacing something for the sake of it” since the existing equipment is in “very good condition”. 

He also said consultation is ongoing with STSB, but his position and work up to now has provided adequate briefing: “Economic Development undertook considerable consultation and I have been consulting with a number of stakeholders including the Guernsey Hospitality Association and airport users group, and I am speaking with the House individually."

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