The operator of Dublin Airport, daa, has awarded a €265m contract to construct the new West Apron Vehicle Underpass at the airport to joint venture Sacyr Ireland Ltd and Wills Bros Ltd.
The project, which is scheduled for completion by August 2030, will see the construction of a 1.1 km subterranean twin-cell tunnel connecting Pier 3 at Dublin Airport to the West Apron.
The signing of the contract with the Spanish-headquartered Sacyr and the Co Mayo-based Wills Bros follows three months after the Supreme Court rejected a final attempt in July by Ryanair to stop the construction of the cargo underpass.
This followed Mr Justice Richard Humphreys in February dismissing the airline's challenge to An Bord Pleanála's decision to approve daa's planned tunnel.
In April of last year, An Bord Pleanála - now An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) - gave the scheme the planning green light upholding a planning permission granted in February 2023 by Fingal County Council.
Plans were first lodged for the tunnel in September 2022 and the underpass will provide a dedicated, segregated route for airside vehicles - such as cargo operators, fuel bowsers, tugs, loaders, steps, and catering trucks - between the remote West Apron and the Eastern Campus, where most airport services and facilities are located.
The €265m contract was awarded under an Airfield and Landside Civil Works Framework (Lot 2) agreement and according to a daa statement "marks a significant milestone in the airport's long-term infrastructure development strategy".
"This underpass is about keeping people safe and keeping the airport moving, the CEO of daa Kenny Jacobs said today.
"It's a critical piece of infrastructure that'll make a big difference - cutting travel times, boosting efficiency, and future-proofing the place as we grow. It's the right project, at the right time, with the right team to deliver it," he added.
"The West Apron Vehicle Underpass will not only enhance our operational efficiency but also ensure a seamless experience for our passengers and aviation partners at Dublin Airport," daa’s Chief Commercial and Development Officer Vincent Harrison said.
"Daa is committed to investing in critical strategic infrastructure and this project is testament to our willingness and desire to get building world-class facilities as soon as planning permissions are granted," he added.
Wills Bros and Sacyr were previously engaged in a joint venture as part of the SWS Joint Venture to deliver the A6 Dungiven to Drumahoe highway, one of the largest infrastructure projects built to date, delivered for the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
Contracts Director at Wills Bros, Aidan McCaul said today that "as a family-run business with over 53 years of experience, our self-delivery model has enabled us to consistently deliver large and complex civil engineering projects across Ireland".
Accounts filed earlier this week by Wills Bros Ltd show that the contract award follows a buoyant 2024 where the company’s pre-tax profits increased by 32% to €17.05m.
This followed revenues rising by 25% from €192.27m to €240.5m as numbers employed increased from 418 to 487 with staff costs totalling €34m.
Director of Operations at Sacyr UK, Ireland and Sweden, Alejandro Mendoza said: "We look forward to working together with daa to create improved access and safety on the airfield at Dublin Airport in a construction project that will help meet the needs of its passengers, whilst ensuring Dublin Airport can develop as a leading European and transatlantic hub."
According to a daa spokesman, the need for the underpass "has become increasingly urgent following the opening of the new North Runway at Dublin Airport in August 2022".
He pointed out that the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has confirmed that apron vehicles can no longer cross Runway 16/34, which now serves as a primary taxiway.
"Without the underpass, vehicle access to the West Apron would be forced onto circuitous and inefficient routes, severely impacting time-critical operations such as cargo handling and general aviation," he said.
"The twin-cell design ensures operational resilience, allowing one lane to remain open in the event of maintenance or an incident in the other. The project also includes the reconfiguration of 23,700 square metres of the airport to accommodate layout changes and associated infrastructure works," he added.
He also pointed out that "the underpass will play a pivotal role in enabling the airport to grow to a projected capacity of 40 million passengers per annum and to accommodate the continued expansion of cargo and contingency operations on the West Apron."
Construction will be carried out using cut-and-cover techniques, with a full traffic management plan in place to minimise disruption to airport operations and the local community.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
