Measuring 3,337 metres long and 44 metres wide, our main runway is the beating heart of our operation. Built in the 1950's with concrete, on busy days it can handle over 950 movements a day. Without it, the airport is more like a shopping centre.
The problem? Over time, we've laid new asphalt onto 1950's concrete pavement. This causes cracks and can lead to unplanned runway closures.
We last re-surfaced our runway in 2012. We added 50mm of new asphalt to the top, designed to last 9 years. In 2016, we began a yearly patching programme, to extend the design life.
Our Plan
We spent time to find a solution that drives best value. We focussed on the area that needed it most - the section that sees high traffic.
We removed old asphalt, recycling this material and giving it a new life in a new place. We laid 40,000 tonnes of new asphalt in the central section of the runway.
We completed this three month programme in Spring 2022. It delivers a runway that is fit for the future.
To complete the project, work took place overnight between 9.30pm and 5.30am. This minimises the impact to airport operations.
This project includes:
- A seven year design life
- 40,000 tonnes of asphalt
- Minimal impact to operations
Find out more about
Our story so far
We’ve come a long way since the 30s. Read more about our key milestones. From private aerodrome, to the busiest single-runway airport in the world.
OUR STATION UPGRADE
Work is underway to deliver an upgrade to the Gatwick Airport station. This will make it easier to access and improve passenger experience.
Our Northern Runway
We've set out our plans to bring our existing Northern Runway into routine use alongside our Main Runway.