Atkins and the Department for Transport publish aviation options for London 2012 - 17 March 2011
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PDF versionWith less than 500 days to go, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is expected to welcome up to 70,000 members of the “Olympic Family” and sponsors, as well as 600,000 spectators. These large volumes, combined with the increased numbers of Heads of State and VIPs, will mean that the summer months of 2012 will witness some of the busiest periods of air travel ever experienced across London and the South East.
To support the Department for Transport (DfT) in preparing for this challenge, Atkins, the UK’s largest engineering and design consultancy, is providing expert airport and aviation advisory services. Early in 2010 Atkins delivered a comprehensive demand forecast for summer 2012 air traffic and undertook a detailed assessment of airport capacity across the South East of England. Forecasts compiled by Atkins indicate a net addition over the peak 31-day period of the Games, of about 240,000 passengers over baseline commercial air passenger numbers. On the peak day, predicted to be 13 August after the closing ceremony, there are expected to be up to 200 additional departures from the five primary London area airports. A significant contribution to the additional air traffic demand will be from business and executive aviation flights, forecast to account for over 3,000 additional flights in the peak 31-day period.
The DfT subsequently commissioned Atkins to provide a detailed study into the potential demand for, and use of, commercial helicopters across the London area for air transport purposes during the Games. With these studies complete, the DfT, in conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has also now launched a brochure, prepared by Atkins, entitled “London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics - Airport Options for Non-Scheduled Flights” which will serve as a guide to airports across the South East, providing detailed information for international dignitaries and entourages that will be flying to the UK to attend the Games.
Flowing from our reports, and in co-operation with the wider aviation community, the Government is proposing to introduce new measures to help control the flow of aircraft in the air and on the ground during the Games period. The CAA has recently published a number of temporary changes to airspace that will be implemented for summer 2012 and the DfT has completed a consultation on the proposal to implement slot co-ordination across the majority of airports in the South East of England for the Games period.
Mike Pearson, airport development director at Atkins, said: “Our work has shown that London’s airports can handle the air traffic demands of a large international event such as the Olympics and that they offer sufficient capacity and flexibility to accommodate the varying demands that will be imposed. Whilst the current studies have not fully addressed the impact of every possible operational hitch, the early strategic assessment of airport requirements during Games-time allows us to identify and address any potential issues.”
Ends
For more information:
Alex Simmons
Smithfield
+44(0)20 7903 0669
Trudy Warrender
Atkins 2012 Communications Director
+44(0)1372 752088
trudy.warrender@atkinglobal.com
Notes to editors:
Atkins’ three reports are available as per below:
1. Air Traffic Review and Airport Capacity Assessment Associated with the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics - is available on request from the Department for Transport.
2. Study on the use of Helicopters for Commercial Air Transport Purposes at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics - is available on request from the Department for Transport.
3. London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – Airport options for non-scheduled flights – is available on request from the Department for Transport and Atkins.
About Atkins
Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) is the UK’s largest engineering and design consultancy and the world’s 11th largest design firm. We have the depth and breadth of expertise to respond to the most technically challenging and time-critical infrastructure projects and the urgent transition to a low-carbon economy. Whether it’s the concept for a new skyscraper, the upgrade of a rail network, the modelling of a flood defence system or the improvement of a management process, we plan, design and enable solutions.
Recent projects include:
• Major infrastructure works, such as the design and programme management of the civil works for the Dubai Metro red and green lines;
• Critical programme management of storm protection works in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana, USA, providing expertise in coastal restoration, engineering, environmental and GIS support to rebuild defences and protect habitats;
• High profile transport planning and urban design – our innovative scheme to deliver a diagonal crossing at London’s Oxford Circus has helped tackle the problem of pedestrian crowding;
• Key rail projects – providing architectural and engineering design services on London’s Crossrail, Europe’s biggest civil engineering project, and designing stations, tunnelling and track systems on Gautrain, South Africa’s first high speed line.
• Multidisciplinary building design – North Wood Primary School in Darlington is an exemplar project which raises standards for environmental design and community engagement;
• Vital water and environmental projects – as part of a joint venture, Atkins is providing technical assistance to the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme in Nigeria, which will benefit up to three million people.
• Multidisciplinary building design – Northwood Primary School in Darlington, UK, is an exemplar project which raises standards for environmental design and community engagement.
Atkins was named among The Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies to Work For 2011, won Consultancy of the Year in the CIBSE Low Carbon Performance Awards 2010; received the first ever certification of the Carbon Trust Standard awarded to an engineering consultancy in the construction sector; and was included in The Times Top 50 Companies Where Women Want to Work 2009 and The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2010. Atkins was also construction and civil engineering sector winner for the fifth consecutive year in the Target National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2010 and was awarded a RoSPA Gold Award 2010 for excellence in control of health and safety in the workplace.
Atkins is the official engineering design services provider for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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