"Possible quick win" runway extension to be investigated

Tuesday 30 October 2018

A requete by former pilot and Deputy Jan Kuttelwascher has been approved by the States, directing him to look into the possibility of repurposing some of the runway's safety area as extra length.

This would allow larger aircraft to land in Guernsey, with only minimal work needed to make the difference.

The requete was brought to the States by Deputy Kuttelwascher because he felt it was a potential "quick win", which he could start looking into thanks to his role on the panel looking into the island's sea and transport links. He suspected it would only take him a matter of weeks to make progress on the idea.

Pictured: Guernsey Airport. 

If all goes to plan, it would see the safety areas reduced to 90m at either end of the runway, which would increase the length of the runway to 1,570m overall - approximately a 100m increase. Jersey already have a 90m safety area at one end of its runway, Deputy Kuttelwascher said in his speech.

"I am offering an interim solution while we wait to see what is going to be delivered by PwC. It has some immediate benefits," he said.

This was in regards to the report PwC are conducting into Guernsey's air and sea links, which will include commentary on whether the runway should be extended or not.

"All that report will do is come back with recommendations as to what could be done but nothing more than that. That won't come back until summer, and it will cost a lot of money. We could just end up binning it. What I am proposing is something that could happen very fast, possibly in a few weeks." 

What is a runway safety area? 

The safety areas are strips of land at each end of the runway, that are clear of obstacles. They are not there to make a runway safer, Deputy Kuttelwascher said, but rather as a final resort in the case of an aircraft overshooting a landing, and running off of the tarmac. 

He said as a pilot, you would never want to end up in the safety area, as it would still right off an aircraft.

He also said there had never been a runoff in Guernsey from an aircraft approaching for an easterly landing. 

Reducing them would not decrease the safety of Guernsey Airport in any way in his opinion, and a 90m safety area would still be similar to other UK airports.

It is hoped by many, particularly in the business sector, that a larger runway will encourage other airlines to fly to Guernsey, which may give the island more links around the UK, opening up the market, potentially forcing down prices, and also improving islanders' travel options. 

Overall, the requete was passed by the States with nearly the full assembly voting for it. Two deputies did not. 

The States have already commissioned the report from PwC, but have been waiting some time for it. The idea for a total review into all of Guernsey's transport links came about when the runway extension was being discussed at the beginning of this term, but it is now two years down the line. Express understands a draft version of the report has just been received by some States committees.

Deputy Peter Ferbrache, the man who seconded the amendment and also the President of the States Trading Supervisory Board, said this requete was an opportunity to actively take a step to tackle a problem the island faces - its transport links - rather than continue to wait and talk about it.