South West London MPs and council leaders have demanded Heathrow Airport does more to curb disturbance to locals after concerns were raised about 'relentless aircraft noise'.

They said residents believe noise from the airport has become worse and reported planes seeming to fly 'lower and later into the night'.

Twickenham MP Munira Wilson said 'countless' long-term residents had told her they have 'never experienced noise as bad as it has been recently'. The Lib Dem MP said locals are 'struggling to work, study and sleep, and they're really worried about the effect on human health and the environment'.

Ms Wilson's email inbox has been 'overflowing with messages from residents who are suffering the effects of relentless aircraft noise', she added.

A letter to Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye from Ms Wilson, local MPs Sir Ed Davey and Sarah Olney, Richmond Council leader Gareth Roberts, Kingston Council leader Andreas Kirsch and London Assembly members Caroline Pidgeon and Councillor Hina Bokhari called for more ambition in Heathrow's new noise action plan 2024-2028.

The plan looks at how to limit the impact of noise disturbance on those living near the airport. Heathrow is reviewing feedback given during a six-week public consultation on the strategy, which ended on July 17.

The letter was sent in response to the consultation. It said the airport has 'brought jobs, business and international trade opportunities and an economic boost to our part of London, and residents in our area accept that living close to a hub airport such as Heathrow is accompanied by impacts on air quality and noise pollution'.

But residents in the area believe 'noise pollution from the airport is becoming more frequent, with reports of planes seemingly flying lower and later into the night', according to the letter.

It said the plan includes a 'number of steps in the right direction' but called for further measures. It demanded Heathrow commits to extending its voluntary night flight ban to 'ensure a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep for residents in South West London'. 

It asked Heathrow to carry out another consultation on its upcoming noise insultation schemes before they are implemented in 2024, and to guarantee runway alteration during easterly operations will be introduced on schedule.

It also called for the airport to support having an independent noise ombudsman, and for all cash raised through landing charges to be earmarked for reinvestment in measures to slash noise.

The letter raised concerns about the impact of plans to modernise airspaces across the UK, which include changes to flight paths over London.

It said changes at Heathrow could reduce noise in some areas, but other neighbourhoods could see an increase, and asked for the airport to provide details of works it is carrying out on noise pollution that account for airspace modernisation.

Ms Wilson added: "We know that noise pollution from aircraft causes disrupted sleep and impacts on the mental and physical health of local residents, so it's absolutely crucial that improvements be made."

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "We are committed to making Heathrow a quieter neighbour, and our noise footprint has shrunk by more than a quarter since 2006.

"As we develop our plans to further reduce noise we have asked for community feedback on our latest noise action plan. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation and will carefully review all responses."