Residents living under Heathrow’s flightpaths have expressed concern the council scrapped its noise complaints hotline as BAA prepares a controversial new trial at the airport.

Campaigners said Richmond Council will have no reliable measure of gathering views from people who suffer disruption when the airport uses both runways simultaneously, instead of its current practice of one at a time.

Heathrow will start its first three month dual runway trial in November, followed by a second during next summer’s Olympics. The new measure was designed to reduce the time planes circled before landing.

The council said it turned off the phone line on April 1 as part of its £35m cuts programme, but it was convinced residents’ complaints would still “get through” to the authority if they call BAA.

But Anne Cochrane, of the Barnes Community Association environment group, said: “If this is going to be a trial you need someone impartial answering your calls.”

She lives between two flight paths, in Lonsdale Road, Barnes, and said she would suffer from an increase in noise if the airport used both runways simultaneously.

She said residents were “very worried” about the trial, and added: “The council will have no way of saying what people think about this because it won’t have any data.”

Councillor Stephen Knight, leader of Richmond’s Liberal Democrat group, said: “It’s very important if the council is challenging these issues in the High Court, as it sometimes is, it’s vital we collect the evidence in order to back legal challenges.”

John Stewart, chairman of campaign group Hacan Clearskies, added: “With the trial periods coming up, (the complaints line) is a very important and tested local tool for collecting evidence.”

Councillor Virginia Morris, cabinet member for environment at Richmond Council, said: “Residents rightly already make comments about the airport’s operation to BAA, its owner, as well as the council and we’re told about all complaints at regular meetings we have with senior airport staff.

“Complaints will still get through and will still be acted on, but as the council becomes more efficient, we do not need to duplicate all complaints made about the airport.”

The council, which did not consult residents before scrapping the phone line, said nobody had complained until the cut was revealed at a meeting last week.

To make a noise complaint, call Heathrow on 0800 344844 or email noise_complaints@baa.com.

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