At Swanwick, in the summer peak period in 2002, NATS was 34 air traffic controllers below the complement required for a 24/25 sector operational configuration. Staffing requirements are lower in the off-peak winter period.
Following the end of the summer peak period, a significant re-sectorisation of airspace over the Irish Sea has been introduced, re-arranging the boundaries between some internal London sectors and transferring some routes from Swanwick to the Scottish Area Control Centre at Prestwick. Before summer 2003 a major reorganisation of North Sea airspace (and the consequent transfer of Sector 33 to Prestwick) will reduce manpower requirements at Swanwick. Current forecasts show a potential shortfall of around 12 controllers next year and measures to manage this shortfall are in hand. A more detailed analysis of the statistics is at Annex 2.
As part of their recent pay settlement, controllers have been offered the opportunity to work Additional Voluntary Attendances (AVAs). Around 120 have already volunteered to attend, and the number continues to increase. Controllers' hours of attendance are regulated by the CAA's Safety Regulation Group, and these additional attendances will fall within the regulated hours. Other actions are in hand to increase the supply of controllers in the longer term including, as noted above, the steps being taken to shorten and improve controller training procedures.