Swanwick systems not robust, say MPs

Computer systems at the Swanwick air traffic control centre are not robust enough or increasing the productivity of controllers, MPs have warned.

The House of Commons transport select committee said that computer systems at the centre had not shown "either the necessary robustness or the productivity required".

In May, thousands of passengers were greeted with flight delays when a software upgrade went wrong. And problems with 20-year-old software at West Drayton caused delays in March and April.

The committee said National Air Traffic Services (Nats) should think again about cutting staff while the new systems are unproven. "We are not convinced that Nats systems are sufficiently robust to enable it to reduce the numbers of safety-critical staff," it warned.

"Air traffic control assistants are vital to the safe operation of air traffic control and it is incredible that Nats intends to reduce their number so soon after moving into a new, highly complex operating environment."

The committee said in its report on the finances of Nats that it must clearly demonstrate a "substantially greater level of robustness in computer equipment" at the new centre before cutting staff.

Swanwick became operational in January, five years late and £180m over budget, largely because of software problems.

The report also warned against planned cuts in engineering staff. "The reduction in engineering staff seems misplaced given the probability of teething problems with the new systems at Swanwick. Experience has shown that loss of engineering experience is not easy to recover."

And the committee said that Nats's "cost-cutting and penny-pinching mentality" meant it could lose out to new satellite-based services being developed in Europe and the US.

"Nats is not in a position to be the leading player in these advances in air traffic control and is in danger of losing customers in the longer term. At present Nats is far from capable of meeting the challenges of the long-term future of air traffic control systems in the UK," the committee said.