Statutory guidance

UKADS and UKACS licence obligations: strategic objectives

Published 17 November 2025

In June 2025, the government announced it would reform the UK’s approach to modernising airspace by introducing a UK airspace design service (UKADS). In CAP3156, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) explained that:   

• the Department for Transport (DfT) and the CAA propose to give the task of providing the UKADS to NATS (En-Route) plc (NERL) through modifications to its air traffic services licence

• several policy documents will be published in support of that, including strategic objectives for the provision of the UKADS

Subject to CAA consultation on modifications to the NERL Licence, NERL shall have regard to these strategic objectives when providing the UKADS.

1. Introduction

1.1 Modernisation of UK airspace is essential to ensuring it is fit for purpose in the future, making it more efficient and flexible, reducing bottlenecks, helping UK aviation achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and better managing aviation’s noise impact.

1.2 The government has, therefore, decided to create the UK airspace design service (UKADS) as a single ‘guiding mind’ to coordinate and sponsor airspace change proposals (ACPs) in UK airspace to deliver the holistic, modernised airspace design envisaged by the CAA and DfT (the co-sponsors) in the airspace modernisation strategy (AMS). NERL will provide the UKADS for strategically important interdependent airspace changes in UK airspace and also provide a coordination service for strategically important interdependent ACPs where the UKADS is not being provided.

1.3 The air traffic services licence granted to NERL by the Secretary of State under section 6 of the Transport Act 2000 (the Licence), authorises and requires NERL to provide:

• the UKADS (referred to as the ‘airspace design service’ in the Licence)
• the UK airspace coordination service (referred to in this document as ‘UKACS’ and the ‘airspace coordination service’ in the Licence)

1.4 The Licence also sets out how NERL will be required to have due regard to any strategic objectives set by the Secretary of State.

1.5 This is the strategic objectives document referred to in the Licence.

1.6 Unless stated otherwise, defined terms used in this document bear the same meaning as those set out in the Licence.

1.7 While NERL is required to provide the UKADS for geographic areas of strategically important interdependent airspace changes in UK airspace, it will not be possible for NERL to provide the UKADS in relation to all such areas immediately once the obligations in the Licence relating to the UKADS come into effect. The Secretary of State has, therefore, issued this document to set the strategic objectives, which NERL shall have regard to, in providing the UKADS and UKACS, including indicating the areas of UK airspace which the Secretary of State considers that NERL should prioritise (Delivery Focus Areas).

2. Strategic objectives

2.1 As set out in the AMS, the ultimate objective is to modernise UK airspace to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys and more capacity for the benefit of those who use and are affected by UK airspace.

2.2 To facilitate delivery of the relevant elements of the AMS, the Secretary of State’s strategic objectives in relation to airspace design are that:

a) Airspace designs prioritise maintaining a high standard of safety, are consistent with the AMS, secure system-wide benefits and overall network optimisation and result in the most efficient and resilient airspace network possible while taking account of government guidance made under section 70(2)(d) of the Transport Act 2000.

b) All future airspace changes in UK airspace may ultimately be sponsored by a single provider to deliver the holistic, modernised airspace design envisaged by the AMS. However, as set out in its Licence, the initial requirement for NERL in providing the UKADS is narrower and it should provide the UKADS, having regard to the Delivery Focus Areas set out below and provide the UKACS in respect of strategically important interdependent ACPs where the UKADS is not being provided.

2.3 To facilitate the airspace design delivery element of the AMS, NERL should:

a) Priority 1: provide the UKADS in relation to the following delivery focus area(s) to implement the relevant deployments by 2035 – delivery of the London Terminal Control Area (TMA) region airspace changes

b) Priority 2: provide the UKACS, save where NERL is providing the UKADS – in delivering the UKACS, NERL should prioritise what it considers will achieve the most significant system-wide benefits and contributions to airspace modernisation

2.4 The Secretary of State also expects NERL to provide the Core and Specified Services (as set out in NERL’s Licence), including delivery of NERL’s air traffic technology replacement and upgrade programme, which is critical to maintain a resilient UK aviation system.

2.5 The Licence sets out how NERL should ensure that airspace designs reflect current government aviation policy.

3. UKADS Delivery Focus Area(s)

3.1 Delivery focus area: London TMA region

3.1 In this document, the ‘London TMA region’ is the area described in the UK aeronautical information publication (AIP) as the London TMA (chart reference AIP En-Route (ENR) 6 to 42) and the area of the following 11 airports and the corresponding network ACPs:

• Biggin Hill
• Bournemouth
• Farnborough
• London City
• London Gatwick
• London Heathrow
• London Luton
• London Stansted
• RAF Northolt
• Southampton
• Southend

3.2 NERL may be required to incorporate or progress separately any other ACP(s), which have the potential to interact with the ACP for the London TMA region.