Campaigners against plans which would see Luton Airport’s capacity increase to 18 million passengers per year has released a report where they claim flights are louder year on year.

Hertfordshire Against Luton Expansion (HALE) have analysed a noise track record from the past five years which they say shows flights are getting noisier over time.

They claim 60 percent of daytime departures now register at or above the 73dB annoyance level when they reach the noise monitors four miles from the airport compared to 45 percent in 2007.

Their analysis also shows night flights are louder, with half the departures now at or over 73dB at the noise monitors.

Andrew Lambourne, from Hale said: "If I was in senior management at Luton Airport I’d be keeping very quiet indeed about my track record on noise, because it is utterly lamentable.

"Flights are getting noisier year on year, with no credible plan to reverse that trend. There is no effective deterrent against the noisiest flights - only one daytime departure has been fined in the last five years.

"The so-called Noise Action Plan is just hot air and spin - I see no genuine commitment to make a difference and tackle the noise problem, in case they upset the airlines."

Since Luton Borough Council put in proposals to expand the airport by double its size concerns over aircraft noise, road and rail congestion and more night flights have been raised.

The planning application includes proposals to add 60 percent more flights, taking the average daily total from 270 to 430.

Hale claims flights would not be spread evenly over the day, but clustered in the peak early morning and late evening periods favoured by the airlines, which would result in doubling of flights between 10pm and midnight.

Mr Lambourne added: "We are calling on Luton Borough Council to show determination to prevent the noise burden on local people from getting worse, by applying strict planning controls especially on flights at night."