Infrastructure solutions company, Costain, has been selected by Manchester Airports Group to design critical civils upgrades to Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports. These upgrades will improve the quality and safety of customer journeys for the approximately 50 million passengers who use the airports each year. 

Costain will create an outline design for a series of enhancements to key access points at Manchester and London Stansted airports, to ensure they meet the Department for Transport’s new security requirements. The upgrades include modifications to restricted access areas such as passport control, gatehouses leading to aircraft, and authorised staff-only areas.  

At East Midlands, Costain will consider the best way of reconfiguring the terminal forecourt and car park to accommodate the growth in passenger numbers seen over recent years and expected in the future. The company will produce an outline design which improves the through-flow of traffic during peak times and ensures that passengers have a dedicated space for drop-offs.  

Andy Clarke, director for integrated transport at Costain, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity to shape vital new infrastructure which will transform the performance of three leading regional airports. Our Northwest-based Design Hub will deploy modular and automated design techniques, alongside the findings of a BREEAM assessment, to ensure that the construction of the new civils infrastructure is cost-effective, sustainable and efficient. 

“We will also consider the human factors which will influence how people respond to the new infrastructure, embedding Safe by Design principles so that everyone enjoys a seamless travel experience.” 

Services included within the work span a range of advisory services, including: 

  • Stakeholder engagement with the airports, airline operators, security teams, fire and rescue service and border control. 
  • Transport planning and traffic modelling to understand vehicle usage and travel patterns to and from the airport. 
  • Surveys to locate underground utilities and any potential hazards. 
  • Geotechnical services to inform assessments of the ground conditions. 
  • Modular and automated design techniques to increase productivity and reliability, while anticipating future demand such as charging points for electric vehicles. 

Costain’s services were secured via the Engineering, Project Management and Design Framework, which was also the procurement route for the Stansted Airport Public Address and Voice Alarm System project. The upgrades will be designed to meet current and future demand for rigorous security checks, while enhancing the airport experience.