Edinburgh Airport has today announced details of a multi-million pound project to resurface its main runway, which will involve a change to the airport’s night time operation over several months.

The £16 million project will take place over the next eight months, from 30 March until November 2008.

As a result, flights taking off or landing at the airport between 23:00 and 05:45, Sunday through to Friday, will use the airport’s secondary runway. Some occasional work will be undertaken on Friday and Saturday nights. The main runway will still be used during the day.

The change to the airport’s operation is likely to result in aircraft operating over or close to homes that do not normally experience aircraft noise, in areas such Midlothian, West Lothian and Bo’ness.

Information leaflets are being sent out to 45,000 households to inform local residents about the project and the possible disturbance. Nine community drop-in sessions are also being held throughout February and March, where airport staff will be on hand to provide more information and to answer and questions from residents. Local politicians and community groups have also been briefed.

The project will renew the runway’s life for at least ten years and will involve over 150 workers and over 130,000 man hours. Over 25,000 tonnes of new asphalt will be laid down and over one thousand runway lights will be replaced.

Edinburgh Airport Managing Director, David Johnston, said: “The resurfacing of our main runway is an extremely important project. Our runway is entirely safe to use at the moment, but these works are essential if we are to ensure the continued success of Edinburgh Airport, now Scotland’s busiest airport. This is a major piece of work which will renew the life of the runway for at least 10 years, and is part of BAA’s long term investment plan for Edinburgh.

“We have made every effort to minimise the disturbance to local residents. However if people do have concerns about the project, we would ask that they get in touch with us or drop in to one of our community meetings. They can also call our free phone noise hotline.

“The runway resurfacing is a major project which we have spent many months coordinating and planning - considering the needs of our passengers, neighbours and stakeholders. Along with our business partners and contractors, we aim to complete the work with as little impact as possible on our environment, our operation and our local communities.”

Edinburgh Airport’s free phone noise hotline number is 0800 731 3397

Notes to editors

• The runway was last resurfaced in 1991 and since then, Edinburgh Airport has changed, almost beyond recognition.  Back in 1991, Edinburgh Airport was a small airport, mainly serving UK destinations. Today, it is a major international airport and the busiest in Scotland, with over 100 destinations served.

• Around 18 aircraft operate from the airport on an average night, between 23:00 and 06:00. Many of these are early morning departing passenger aircraft between 05:00 and 06:00 and it is for this reason the airport has chosen the timeof 05.45 to bring the main runway back into operation.  This will help ensure as many of these early morning departing passenger aircraft as possible operate from the main runway.

• Edinburgh Airport would expect that most of the flights that residents will see and hear at night will be the cargo and mail flights.  Edinburgh Airport has a considerable cargo and mail operation, with major companies like TNT and DHL in operation. Almost 20,000 tonnes of cargo is transported to and from the airport every year.

• The normal flight path brings aircraft over or close to Cramond, Newbridge, Ratho Station, Broxburn and Livingston.  However, the use of the secondary runway brings flights over south and south west Edinburgh as well as parts of Midlothian, West Lothian and out as far as Bo’ness.

• The information evenings begin at 18:30 and finish at 20:30, and will take place on the following dates and locations:

Monday 18 February – Loanhead Community Centre, Mayburn Walk, Loanhead.
Wednesday 20 February – South Morningside Primary School, Comiston Road, Edinburgh
Tuesday 26 February – Pentland Community Centre, Oxgangs Brae, Edinburgh
Thursday 28 February – Longstone Primary School, Redhall Grove, Edinburgh
Monday 3 March – Sighthill Community Centre, Sighthill Wynd, Edinburgh
Tuesday 4 March – Kirkliston Community Centre, Queensferry Road, Kirkliston
Monday 10 March – Bonnyrigg Primary School, Cockpen Road, Bonnyrigg
Thursday 13 March – Forrester High School, Broomhouse Road, Edinburgh
Monday 17 March – Bo’ness Recreation Centre, Gauze Road, Bo’ness

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