INVESTIGATIONS are now under way into extensive work needed at the airport. In the early hours of yesterday, contractors finished scouring and scraping the runway to maintain safety standards.

With that successfully completed, management is now preparing for the next phase.

‘We’ve recently appointed engineers to begin the planning and preparation for what we call the pavements project,’ said airport director Colin Le Ray.

This includes possibly renewing the runway, rebuilding the aprons and relaying the taxiways.

‘That process is under way, although we’re at very early stages in terms of making decisions with our engineers.’

There will be a States report some time next year to get approval for any work, which would not go to tender until 2009.

No noise problems were reported from neighbours with the overnight work that has just been completed, said Mr Le Ray.

It involved scouring the runway surface to maintain friction qualities followed by a sweeping exercise.

‘It’s a fairly slow process. It’s a long runway and can’t be done quickly,’ he said.

It was not a noisy operation, he added.

Regular checks are carried out on the runway with equipment that monitors friction quality.

‘Over time we see it change, really through various things like the weather and build-up of rubber deposits. There comes a point where we need to plan maintenance work in order for the runway to remain safe. This is all laid out by Civil Aviation Authority guidelines.’

The last time similar work was carried out was in April 2000.

It was anticipated then it would last for three or four years.