The Royal International Air Tattoo’s use of TPA portable roadways is a “huge success.”
TPA has supplied the UK’s Royal International Air Tattoo with portable roadways for more than six years and has shown exemplary service, as organisers confirmed the supplier continues to “deliver confidence year after year”.
The event, typically held over three days every summer, is at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The TPA panels are usually installed about a month before the airshow, to protect the ground from vehicle and pedestrian movements before, during and after to the event. It usually takes three weeks to install the trackway and two weeks to recover.
The 2025 event, which attracted 170,000 visitors, presented a more complex set of challenges as the overall site layout had evolved, with increased footfall in key areas, especially the new Volunteer Village. This put even greater emphasis on temporary infrastructure that needed to be installed, adjusted and removed within tighter timeframes.
Head of ground operations, Kevin Amos, said: “There was also a stronger focus on sustainability and reusability, which placed added importance on selecting a flooring and access solution that was robust, adaptable and environmentally responsible.”
The need to maintain safe pedestrian and vehicle access throughout build, live days and breakdown, without causing damage to the ground, was critical, and required careful planning, and as Kevin said “reliable products.”
In addition, noise was a major concern for the Volunteer Village, with the switch to glamping tents across the site.
“TPA trialed a hardened [plastic] composite system, TerraRoad, that reduced noise dramatically and was a huge success with the residents,” said Kevin.
The weather for the 2025 event was typically unpredictable, with periods of heavy rainfall mixed with long, extended drier intervals. Ground conditions became challenging at times, particularly in high-traffic areas where footfall and vehicle movements were concentrated.
“These conditions reinforced the importance of having a proven ground protection and access system in place to ensure safety, continuity of operations, and protection of the showground surface,” said Kevin.
More panels than usual – 25% more – were for the 2025 Air Tattoo, including heavy-duty aluminum panels in vehicle routes, production compounds and service areas to accommodate plant, deliveries and emergency vehicle access.
These were complemented with pedestrian-friendly panels in public walkways, queuing areas and high-footfall zones to ensure safe, accessible movement for visitors, and with temporary access and working platforms for the build and de-rig phases, to allow contractors to work efficiently without ground damage.
Kevin said: “The TPA panels performed extremely well throughout all phases of the event. Despite the challenging weather and sustained usage, they remained stable, safe underfoot, and effective at distributing load. Installation and removal were efficient, and the panels maintained their integrity and appearance throughout the event.”
Kevin added: “The ongoing benefits of using TPA panels are clear. They offer a consistently high-quality, modular solution that is adaptable to changing site layouts and conditions. Compared with alternative systems, TPA panels provide proven durability in adverse weather. strong load-bearing capability without excessive ground impact, faster installation and removal, supporting tight event schedules, highly skilled and trained crews with proven tracked records, not to mention reusability, which aligns with our sustainability objectives."
“Ours is a trusted supplier relationship, built on experience with the event and an understanding of its specific requirements. This reliability reduces risk, protects the venue, and delivers confidence to organisers year after year.”