Airport facing requirements for certification
Η πρόταση του υπουργείου Μεταφορών ώστε να απαλλοτριωθεί ο δρόμος και να παρακαμφθεί το αεροδρόμιο είναι από τον κυκλικό κόμβο στην Επτανήσου να κινείται κανείς προς τη Ρήγα Φεραίου και από εκεί στη νησίδα όπου τα φανάρια του αεροδρομίου. Αυτό θα είναι καταστροφικό υποστήριξε ο δήμαρχος και συμφώνησαν όλοι.
CORFU. The General Urban Plan never considered the bypass of the airport as a challenge, since from the outset it proposed its relocation away from the lagoon! As a result, land was not secured for adequate bypass routes, and today there is talk of making part of Eth. Lefkimmi Rd underground at the point where it adjoins the runway!
The long-running violation of the directives of the General Urban Plan is creating chaos and anomalies, leaving local authorities in a state of embarrassment. The most recent example comes from the execution of works at the airport, which includes the expropriation of part of the road adjacent to the runway, necessitating the search for an alternative bypass route. The issue was raised at a recent meeting of the central municipal council, following a question by Takis Metallinos. It was added to the agenda as an off-schedule discussion item, only to be deferred to a new, urgent extraordinary session - possibly conducted remotely - later in the week.
The prevailing opinion expressed during the meeting points to the need for the undergrounding of the road from Tria Gefyria to Corfu National Sports Centre before any expropriation and transfer of the area to the airport as a support zone. Otherwise, the route planned by the Ministry—relying on fragmented roads from the poorly executed urban planning in the area—threatens to severely congest the southern vehicular entry to the town. Yes, the same entry that has been overwhelming drivers for almost twenty years now, as they await the construction of the 'ready' Vryoni bypass!
Given that the Recovery Fund-financed project at the airport is set to be completed by June 2025, the most likely outcome is the abandonment of the expropriation plan. This, in turn, means that the creation of a Runway End Safety Area (RESA) for aircraft takeoff and landing will not materialise, leading to a loss of around five million euros allocated for this in the contract. Whether this noncompliance will affect the airport's certification (after all, the works are being undertaken for this reason) is a question for the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which mandated these measures.
And while the central municipal authority is now treating the issue as urgent and critical, all of this has been known for years. The project to ensure the airport fully complies with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and the Council of 4 July 2018 began in January 2022. According to Article 34 of the Regulation, airports must be certified. The certification will be carried out based on Commission Regulation (EU) No. 139/2014. Although the project falls under the jurisdiction of the general government services, the responsibility for urban planning adjustments to accommodate it lies with the local administration.
GIORGOS KATSAITIS
