London Stansted Airport has selected Farrans to build a series of new skylink walkways that will directly connect the main terminal with the satellite buildings housing departure and arrival gates.
The project forms a key part of Stansted’s wider transformation programme and will eventually allow the airport’s existing track transit people mover system to be decommissioned.
New Walkways to Replace Transit System
The skylinks will provide direct pedestrian connections between the terminal and gate areas, with travelators installed along the route.
They will also be designed to accommodate assistance buggies, allowing passengers with reduced mobility to travel the full distance between the terminal and departure or arrival gates without relying on the existing transit system.
Removing the track transit infrastructure will free up space for future phases of the terminal expansion, including an extension towards the airfield.
Terminal Expansion at the Heart of Stansted Transformation
The centrepiece of the airport’s redevelopment programme is a 16,500-square-metre extension to the existing terminal.
The three-bay expansion will introduce additional passenger space alongside new shops, bars and restaurants, with Stansted saying the development will make it the largest single-terminal airport in Europe.
Rob Stewart, London Stansted’s Capital Delivery Programme Director, said Farrans had already worked with the airport through the design, planning and enabling stages of the skylink project.
“We now move to the construction phase of the work, where Farrans’ expertise and experience of delivering airport projects in busy operational environments will be invaluable,” Stewart said.
Sections to Be Assembled Offsite
Construction is scheduled to begin later this summer, with large sections of the skylinks assembled away from the main terminal in a vacant airport hangar on the north side of the airfield.
The offsite construction approach is intended to reduce work at height, improve safety and limit congestion in operational areas.
Once completed, each section will be transported across the airfield overnight using self-propelled modular transporters, helping minimise disruption to flights and other airport operations.
Farrans Regional Director Glenn Gilmore said the company would work closely with Stansted’s operational teams throughout construction to ensure the airport can continue operating around the clock.
The project comes as London Stansted continues to handle record passenger volumes and invests in infrastructure intended to support future growth while making better use of its existing single runway.
