Daa is progressing its plans to deliver a new runway for Dublin Airport.
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The 3,110 metre runway will be built 1.6km north of the existing main runway and is expected to be delivered in 2020.
Dublin Airport is investing in the region of €320 million in this multi-faceted project which will comprise multiple contracts and packages of works.
Dublin Airport received planning permission in August 2007 to build a new runway, but the plans were put on hold due to the economic downturn and subsequent fall in passenger numbers.
However, the recovery in passenger numbers, particularly in the past two years, has been significant. The continuation of growth at Dublin Airport is dependent on having sufficient capacity available to satisfy future demand.
“Last year was the busiest year ever in the airport’s history with a record 25 million passengers travelling in 2015. Passenger numbers continue to grow strongly in 2016 with double digit growth recorded in the first two months of this year,” said Daa Chief Executive KevinToland.
“We are progressing our plans to deliver the new runway in accordance with the development and pathway for growth outlined in the Government’s National Aviation Policy (NAP). Dublin Airport’s North Runway will significantly improve Ireland’s connectivity supporting trade, foreign direct investment and tourism,” he added.
The rapid recovery in passenger numbers is due to a combination of almost 50 new routes and services, significant additional capacity increases on a number of existing routes, and nine new airlines operating at Dublin Airport.
Total long-haul connectivity has grown by more than 65% since T2 opened, while short-haul connectivity has increased by 16%.
Dublin Airport’s North Runway development has the potential to open up connectivity to a range of long-haul destinations, particularly in fast growing economies in Asia, Africa and South America.
The delivery of a new runway could support a further 31,000 new jobs over the next two decades, contributing €2.2 billion to GDP. ■