Runway resurfacing underway at RAF Valley
Work has commenced on a £20 million project to refurbish one of two runways at RAF Valley.
Aerial view of RAF Valley. MOD Crown Copyright.
Enabling works, in conjunction with Isle of Anglesey County Council, to the designated access route have begun, as have some small works on the station.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) awarded the contract last month to a joint venture of North Stone and White Mountain. The £20 million contract will refurbish the runway and link taxiways and provide a new section of airside perimeter road, new visual aids, aeronautical lighting and signage. The station is primarily a fast jet training base, with pilots mostly flying Hawk aircraft. The strength of the existing taxiways is sufficient for Hawk aircraft and will be improved during refurbishment for operational use of other aircraft such as Hercules, Tornados and Typhoons.
The runway which is being refurbished was last fully resurfaced in 1995, though there have been temporary repairs to some areas. The new works should extend the life of the runway by a further 25 years.
Alan Baker, DIO’s Project Manager, said:
I am pleased that work is now underway and look forward to working with personnel at the station and our contractors to ensure everything continues to run smoothly throughout the project, to provide this vital upgrade for the pilots and groundcrew at RAF Valley.
RAF Valley will remain as an operational station for the majority of the works, with a maximum period of 4 weeks when flying must cease to permit construction in some areas. The works are expected to take just over a year, completing in February 2017.