A five-month-long resurfacing project on the Stansted runway has begun.
Work on the 3km long runway will take place at night to minimise disruption.
1,300 runway lights will be replaced with energy-efficient LEDs and approximately 50,000 tonnes of asphalt will be laid.
In the first 11 weeks, the runway will be closed between midnight and 6 am and work will be carried out five nights a week between Saturday and Wednesday.
Neil Thompson, Planning & Development Director, said: “Handling up to 50 aircraft movements an hour, the runway is obviously a key asset for the airport.”
“The whole project has been meticulously planned.”
The runway last underwent full resurfacing in 2006 when the airport handled 15 million passengers.
