A 200m-long passenger bridge, long and high enough for Boeing 747 jumbos to pass underneath, was moved into position on Sunday 16th May at London Gatwick Airport.

The bridge, which is the world’s largest bridge across an airfield, spans a live taxiway to link the airport’s North Terminal with the new 11-aircraft stand Pier 6. The £100 million project, by increasing pier-service from 78% to 92%, will eliminate thousands of coach journeys each year. An immediate effect of this will be a reduction in fuel emissions and ground noise, thereby contributing to BAA Gatwick’s Sustainable Development Strategy.

The bridge was designed and constructed off-site with Roger Preston & Partners providing the building services expertise alongside framework supplier, N G Bailey. The length of the bridge demanded that services be designed to add a minimum of weight, and the team ‘designed-out’ expansion forces being transferred to the structure. Passengers will have the choice of using passenger conveyors or walking in both directions, and a glazed façade will give them spectacular views across the airfield.

The need to construct such a massive structure off-site before transporting it 1.5km to its final position posed a significant logistical challenge for everyone involved.

Jeff Wood, Roger Preston & Partners’ project director, said, “Key features of the services design was the need for meticulous preplanning and coordination. This was accomplished through a common 3D modelling system used by the whole project team.”

Roger Cato, BAA Gatwick's managing director, said: "The Pier 6 passenger bridge is a stunning piece of architecture which has changed the skyline of Gatwick forever. We wanted to create something which would be a bold and unique feature to Gatwick, a landmark which everyone connected to the airport can be proud of.”

John Setra, Pier 6 project leader, said: "We had a tremendous team working on the project. It was a major engineering and logistical challenge that was professionally executed to minimise risk and disruption to the airport, airlines and passengers. There is still a lot of work to be done but we are confident that this exciting project will be complete by the spring of next year."