The Cranford Agreement is a verbal agreement dating from the 1950s to avoid use of the northern runway for take-offs in an easterly direction over Cranford unless necessary (for example, when the southern runway is closed). Therefore, aircraft depart to the east using the southern runway and arrive using the northern runway.

Following public consultation, the Secretary of State for Transport announced in January 2009 that the Cranford Agreement will end.

Ending the agreement will redistribute noise more fairly around the airport by allowing the introduction of runway alternation on easterlies, extending the same benefits to those at the west of the airport as those to the east. 

However, introducing full runway alternation on easterly operations presents many challenges in terms of the airport’s current infrastructure.

The airport is not set up to operate with runway alternation on easterlies while maintaining the current schedule.

We are working with NATS and the CAA to identify and assess the changes necessary for this to happen before runway alternation on easterlies can take place.

Once we have a schedule for these works we will be able to inform local residents about timescales. We envisage these works will take well in excess of 12 months.