Figures on Heathrow night noise 'wrong'

Official noise figures for planes flying into Heathrow at dawn are seriously inaccurate and understate the misery caused to Londoners, the High Court was told today. Lawyers for Richmond and Wandsworth councils are fighting proposed changes to night-flight rules which could increase the number of planes disturbing those under Heathrow flightpaths. They

told the court the Government accepted that noise figures for the Boeing 747-400 fitted with Rolls-Royce engines - the most common aircraft flying into Heathrow before 6am - were wrong.

The councils want the number of night-flights to be cut.

The hearing continues.