Highlands and Islands Airports Limited

Work is underway to replace the airfield lighting at Sumburgh Airport in Shetland with a capital project worth almost £2 million.

Much of the airport’s airfield ground lighting (AGL) dates from the 1970s and has reached the end of its asset life.

The £1.9 million investment by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited will provide a new lighting system which meets current regulatory standards.

HIAL operates 11 airports in the Highlands and Islands and Tayside and manages a multi-million pound capital programme annually to maintain and, where appropriate, develop airport infrastructure.

Local contractor Ness Engineering will carry out the work over the coming months with design and project management services being provided by Halcrow Group. Both appointments were made following a competitive tendering process earlier this year.

HIAL’s Board recently gave the final capital approval for the project and initial work on site has now commenced.

HIAL’s managing director Inglis Lyon said: “Sumburgh is our second busiest airport and provides essential air links to the mainland for the people of Shetland. The growth achieved here in recent years has been good for the local economy and we will continue to pursue development opportunities for both scheduled and oil-related business at Sumburgh.

“This capital investment demonstrates a strong commitment to the airport and the services it provides for the communities and economy of the islands,” said Mr Lyon.

Sumburgh Airport manager Nigel Flaws said: “Most of the current lighting system is now approaching the end of its life so this investment will ensure continuity of service at the airport and that we provide a facility that meets the needs of our scheduled flight and oil industry customers.”

Grant Dudgeon, HIAL’s Infrastructure Services manager said: “The work on the airfield is being programmed to avoid disruption to flight operations over the coming months and the provisional completion date for the new system being operational is February 2009.”

Sumburgh Airport’s passenger throughput increased by 13% last year to more than 164,000 while aircraft movements increased by 20% to more than 15,000.

The airport is a base for scheduled air services, oil industry helicopter movements and HM Coastguard’s search and rescue service. Loganair operates BA flights to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Kirkwall and introduced a successful link to Bergen in Norway this summer. These flights will be operated by Loganair under Flybe branding from the end of October as part of the airline’s new franchise agreement. Atlantic Airways operates a summer programme of flights to London Stansted.