Gibraltar’s runway: the road that used to cross it

At Gibraltar’s airport the main road to the Spanish border runs straight across the runway. For decades, when a plane was about to land or take off, barriers closed the road and cars waited. Since March 2023 that is no longer the case for traffic, but the crossing is still there, and walkers can still use it.

The short answer to the title: Gibraltar is a few square kilometres of rock with one road to Spain and one flat piece of land long enough for a runway, so the two ended up in the same place. A tunnel for cars solved the delay.

How the road met the runway

According to Wikipedia, Winston Churchill Avenue, the main road to the land border with Spain, intersects the runway at surface level. Movable barricades closed when aircraft landed or took off. The road starts at the border and is split in two by the airport at Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar’s main sports venue.

The airport itself is a wartime project. It was built on the former racecourse during the Second World War, when Gibraltar was an important British naval base. The runway was extended in 1942 and 1943 on land reclaimed from the Bay of Gibraltar with rock blasted out of the Rock during work on military tunnels. By July 1943 it measured 1,800 yards, about 1,600 metres, which allowed larger aircraft to land.

Who owns it

The runway and aerodrome belong to the British Ministry of Defence and are operated by the Royal Air Force as RAF Gibraltar. Civilian flights use a civilian terminal, and air traffic services are provided under contract by NATS. In 2024 the civilian airport handled 424,386 passengers on 3,628 flights, according to Wikipedia.

What changed in 2023

In 2009 the Government of Gibraltar announced a new road to avoid vehicles crossing the runway, which caused congestion. On 31 March 2023 the new dual carriageway, called The Kingsway, opened between the customs checkpoint and Devil’s Tower Road, with a 350-metre tunnel. Runway access is now closed to everyday road traffic and kept for exceptional, specific or emergency use.

Pedestrians, cyclists and mobility scooters can still cross the runway, and an alternative subway is provided. Wikipedia notes that crossing on foot is a shorter route than going through the tunnel.

Flying here

The Rock of Gibraltar creates strong crosswinds across the bay, which makes landings in winter particularly hard. The Córdoba Accord, signed on 18 September 2006 by Gibraltar, Spain and the United Kingdom, ended the discriminatory restrictions on civilian flights, including the ban on flying over Spanish soil. Iberia began flying Madrid to Gibraltar on 16 December 2006, but ended the route in 2008 for lack of demand, so schedules to Spain have been unstable since.

In practice

• Check which crossing is open. Walkers can still cross the runway when it is open, but the rule is to follow the signs and barriers.
• Never cross against a barrier. Aircraft movements are not predictable from the ground.
• Allow time at the border. The airport sits just before the customs checkpoint, so flights and the Spanish border share the same corner.
• Check airline schedules before planning a trip. The Spain routes have changed several times.

Gibraltar is one of several places where geography decides everyday rules, like the villages that now limit tourists or Svalbard, which has no visa requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Does a road really cross the Gibraltar runway?

Yes. Winston Churchill Avenue intersects the runway. Since 31 March 2023 everyday road traffic uses The Kingsway instead, and the runway crossing is kept for pedestrians, cyclists and exceptional use.

Can I walk across it?

According to Wikipedia, pedestrians can still cross when the road is open, and an alternative subway exists.

Who runs the airport?

The runway belongs to the Ministry of Defence and is operated by the Royal Air Force. Civilian flights use a separate terminal.

How long is the tunnel?

According to Wikipedia’s article on the avenue, 350 metres.

Sources

• Gibraltar International Airport, Wikipedia: the ownership, the wartime construction and runway extension, the 2024 passenger count, the Córdoba Accord and the history of flights to Spain.
• Winston Churchill Avenue, Gibraltar, Wikipedia: the surface crossing, the barricades, the 2009 announcement and the Kingsway opening on 31 March 2023. Check the Government of Gibraltar for current crossing rules.