Air traffic chiefs are planning massive flight path changes which could see hundreds of planes roar up to 1,000ft lower over Berkhamsted, Tring and surrounding villages.

But concern is growing among campaigners that residents in the affected areas will not get a fair say because they have not been properly informed of the plans by National Air Traffic Services (NATS).

Campaigner and Tring resident Sue Yeomans said: "I am very concerned that few people seem to know about this.

"(NATS] has not held any public meetings at all.

"People don't know about it, and once the changes are in place we stand no chance."

NATS, which is part-owned by airlines including easyJet, says it needs to change flight paths to help cut delays, pollution and the number of flights buzzing major towns including Hemel Hempstead.

The shifts to routes in and out of airports including Luton will also help airlines to cut fuel bills.

For local residents however, the changes could see hundreds of planes flying at 3,000ft rather than 4,000ft over Berkhamsted, Tring, Northchurch, Wigginton and Aldbury.

At worst, the lower flights could mean an increase in noise almost equivalent to a diesel lorry rather than a car passing at just over 20ft.

NATS has made information on its plans available on the internet and at public libraries as part of an ongoing public consultation.

But campaigners say NATS should have done more to inform the public and that its consultation paper is too complex for residents to digest.

Mrs Yeomans said: "If you haven't got access to the web it's very difficult to find out about this.

"I think it's quite appalling."

MP for Berkhamsted and Tring David Gauke this week said he had sent an official response to the NATS consultation and urged residents to take part.

He said: "It is clear that the proposals are bad news for our part of Hertfordshire, with flights flying lower over these towns and villages.

"I have objected to the plans, but I encourage as many people as possible to respond to the consultation."

According to Mr Gauke, the number of planes flying below 4,000ft over Berkhamsted, Tring and surrounding villages could rocket from about 165 to just under 670 by 2014 under the NATS plans.

Spokesman for NATS Jane Johnston said the organisation had gone to 'extremely great lengths' to inform the public of its plans, but the sheer scale of the air traffic changes made public meetings and letter drops impossible.

Miss Johnston said: "The changes cover an area of about 12million people.

"We've gone to extremely great lengths to make the information as accessible as we can."

She added that information and DVDs about the plans had been sent to all parish councils and MPs affected areas, and that its public consultation was being carried out to official guidelines.

Residents in Wigginton were set to meet to discuss the NATS plans in their village as The Gazette went to press last night (Tuesday).

To visit the Wigginton Action Group campaign site click here.

Tring residents are set to meet to discuss the plans next Thursday (May 8) at Red Cross Hall in Faversham Close at 8pm.

For more information and to take part in the consultation, which ends on May 22, click here.

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