CAMPAIGNERS are concerned about a concentration of air noise following the closure of Heathrow’s southern runway.

Heathrow says it will be using only one of its two runways from until October to enable maintenance work to take place.

Stop Heathrow Expansion says those living under and around the northern runway flightpath, will experience all the noise generated by Heathrow flights.

It is calling for the airport to cease operations at night, from 11pm until 6am.

Heathrow scaled down the use of the runways at the beginning of April, with the introduction of “mixed mode”, allowing aircraft to both land and take off on the same runway, with runway use alternating every Monday.

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Campaigners fear that the use of mixed mode could become the “new norm” if Heathrow seek to use this method of operating permanently, post-pandemic.

The southern runway will reopen on October 1. Until then, all flights are operating from Terminals 2 and 5.

Geraldine Nicholson, of Stop Heathrow Expansion, said: “Heathrow have had three months of significantly fewer flights and now they choose the time where flights are picking up to close a runway.

“This means noise misery for hundreds of thousands of people living under the northern runway flight paths and close to the northern runway. We were given no notice of this change whatsoever.

“Heathrow must ensure this closure leads to a better deal for residents and must cease operations at night altogether.”