Road network improvement scheme at one of the UK’s busiest airports to include drainage innovations
Gatwick Airport is on a mission: to become the airport of the future.
One of the most important objectives to help achieve this goal is to increase its ground transport connectivity.
The airport has therefore recently embarked on a significant improvement programme to upgrade the quality and functionality of its road networks, which are used by thousands of passengers and staff members each day.
In addition to this, Gatwick has six strategic priorities which underpin its entire organisation: one of these priorities is a relentless focus on airport safety, which it achieves by promoting a strong health and safety culture throughout.
It was clear that any successful supplier for this tender would need to demonstrate high standards of safety as well as a proven track record of innovative thinking.
Working in collaboration with one of the airport’s main suppliers, we were tasked with recommending appropriate drainage solutions that would help Gatwick maintain its zero incidents objective.
We fabricated and installed a safety grid for each drainage cover; a simple idea, but one that would require a detailed bespoke design.
We specified our DUO53 Clear Opening Cover, a part of the Eccles Group 4 D400 range, along with a bespoke Fall Protection Safety Grid to ensure the highest possible health and safety standards were upheld.
Since a high volume of cars, lorries and buses would be utilising the new road network each day, we chose DUO53 due to its strength and durability. This unit is manufactured from high strength ductile iron so it can easily cope with loads of up to 400kN.
As well as being strong and durable, the D400s also feature our unique SmartGrip TechnologyTM anti-slip tread pattern as standard, designed to provide a high PSRV skid resistance value >70, as well as a three point suspension for non-rock stability.
In addition we also recommended a 900 x 900mm Drop-In Ladder Safety Grate for enhanced public safety as well as ease of access for maintenance staff.
In total we supplied 26 DUO53s as well as 26 tailor-made Drop-In Grid.
The install went smoothly as expected and the client was very pleased with the safety recommendations that we made as well as the bespoke design we were able to fabricate to help achieve their key objectives.
As a result, Gatwick Airport continues to operate to the highest safety standards possible, supported by Eccles’ creative thinking and design expertise.
