Campaigners say a new Noise Action Plan unveiled by Heathrow Airport today – Monday - fails to tackle the flight path misery suffered by residents.

The lives of families in Richmond borough and beyond are blighted on a daily basis – particularly in the summer and when trying to sleep.

At the same time, airlines stand accused of failing to take simple steps, such as moving to steeper take-offs and landings, that would reduce the number of households that suffer.

The new Noise Action Plan, which carries the unfortunate acronym of NAP, includes a number of promises to seek to reduce disturbance.

However, the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN), which speaks for residents, warns it appears to be long on consultations, research and reviews, but short on meaningful action.

The Airport has launched a six-week consultation on the plan, which will operate from 2024 to 2028.

It includes a series of vague promises and aims 'to deliver quieter nights and flights for residents'.

On the need for quieter planes, it is setting up a Fleet Forecasting Forum (FFF), which will predict the pace and incentivise the accelerated adoption of new technology. However, there is no timescale for when this will be delivered.

It will 'review' landing charges to encourage the adoption of newer and quieter aircraft. But it is not clear how long this review will take.

There will be measures to count the number of older noisy A320 aircraft which have not been fitted with so-called vortex deflectors, which reduce the noise.

And it will 'seek an entire phase-out' or noisier aircraft. Again, it is not clear when this will be achieved.

On night flights, the airport says it 'will continue to restrict scheduled night flights in line with government policy and publish how well airlines comply'.

And it promises to work with airlines on a voluntary scheme with the 'aim to have year-on-year improvements in reducing noise'.

Concerns about the noise levels come against the background of moves by Heathrow to pursue its bid to build a third runway, which would cause a massive increase in flights and disturbance.

Co-ordinator of the campaigning residents' group HACAN, Paul Beckford, described the Noise Action Plan as a 'missed opportunity'.

He told Nub News: "My initial reaction is that I think Heathrow is missing an opportunity to utilise the tools available to them (albeit limited ones) to reduce noise.

"They should be proposing to increase the landing charges for the noisiest aircraft as well as significantly increase the fines for those aircraft that depart late at the end of the day – after 11.30pm.

"These late runners are particularly disturbing and Heathrow needs to do more to stop this from happening."

He said the fines for late and noisy departures for the period 2019 to 2022 totalled just £81,500 adding 'they not sufficient to incentivise behavioural change from airlines nor act as a deterrent from unnecessary noise pollution'.

Mr Beckford said: "There is lots of commitment to further work/research etc.. rather than a clear focus on reducing the noise now.

"Some of this research may be helpful but the pace of delivery is a concern. For example, we know that operational improvements like steeper departures and arrivals can help significantly reduce noise for local communities yet there is resistance from the airlines to such procedures."

Becky Coffin, Director of Communities and Sustainability, Heathrow said: "As the UK's hub airport, Heathrow is an asset for West London's economy.

"The airport provides quality jobs to over 35,000 people in our five local boroughs alone. But we know that those communities closest to the airport also experience the negative impacts of noise which is why we're updating our Noise Action Plan with a new set of proposals to make flights and nights quieter for local residents over the next five years.

"We hope local residents will offer their feedback on our proposals so that we can get the best plan that works for communities."