Anti-terrorist push for BAA's suppliers

British Airports Authority is pushing its supply teams to the limit this year to meet anti-terrorist design change targets set up by the government following the September 11th attacks.

The airport operator is having to change designs to its existing arrivals and departure piers at Gatwick and Heathrow to meet the Department for Transport's end of 2004 target for the separation of arriving and departing passengers.

Framework supplier Mansell is sitting down with a newly-formed common design team of Buro Happold, WSP and architect Pascall & Watson to see how separate arrivals corridors can be constructed on top of existing piers in short-term contracts at Heathrow Terminal 3's Piers 5 and 6.

The improvements to Pier 5 will cost £121m alone.

Gatwick's North Terminal and Stansted Airport already have piers that meet required standards, while Heathrow's T5 will follow suit.

BAA had tried using pre-assembled glass partitioning for Gatwick's Piers 2 and 3. Although quick in construction terms (12 weeks) this method encountered complications when it came to connecting gateways.

BAA group development and design director Michael Forster said: "What we are looking to do is create common components that can be used across all sites when constructing the corridors. We hope to bolt on chunks of buildings off the shelf to suit demands."

Common capacities have now been drawn in the production design phase by the products and design teams based on a standard width of 7.5m, enough space for a travellator, a buggy and a person to pass by.

A total of 200 components will be available to pick off the shelves, be they for a link, for a corridor or a staircase.

BAA expects to finish its segregation research by the end of this year, leaving 12 months for construction work.