The MPs for St Albans and Harpenden have united against the controversial plans to expand Luton Airport, penning a letter to ministers in the new government to voice their opposition.

Liberal Democrat politicians Daisy Cooper and Victoria Collins wrote to Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to call for the binning of the long mooted plans to expand the airport's capacity from 19m to 32m.

Opposition to the plans have centred around complaints about noise pollution and environmental concerns about the emissions from air travel.

If completed in full, the expansion would see a 72 per cent increase to the airports capacity.

After congratulating the new ministers on their appointments, the letter urges them "in the strongest possible terms to reject it".

The letter reads: "This proposal is actively opposed by the county council and a number of district councils across Hertfordshire.

"For the sake of our climate, and the quality of life of our constituents who suffer from the increased noise living under the flight paths, we urge you to reject these plans."

Ms Collins has been a long-time opponent of the scheme, before her recent election as the MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted at the General Election.

In 2023 she branded the proposals "an insult to Harpenden and our villages".

Opposition to the scheme has been broadly cross-party, with Ms Collins predecessor for the former Hitchin and Harpenden constituency sharing her views on the issue.

Read More:

• Luton Airport expansion is 'an insult to Harpenden'

• Herts councils oppose London Luton Airport expansion

• Luton Airport expansion plan opposed in Hertfordshire

Bim Afolami consistently opposed the expansion until his defeat at the election.

However, proponents of the plans point to the creation of jobs and a positive economic impact as reasons to get behind the scheme.

The airport also says that it aims to be one of the UK's greenest airports.

Responding to the letter, Paul Kehoe CBE, chair of Luton Rising, the Luton Council company that owns the airport, said: "Over the last two decades, our ownership of the airport has provided £300m for frontline services plus a further £180m for the vital voluntary, community and charitable organisations that support and transform the lives of people who most need our help.

"At 32 million passengers per annum, probably by the mid-2040s, our proposals would create up to 10,800 new jobs.

“The benefits to Hertfordshire and the region from the proposed sustainable growth of our airport are significant, and we believe far outweigh negative impacts."

Opponents such as Ms Collins are hoping that a change of government in Westminster will mean the end of the plans, claiming that the decision over the airport is an "early test" of Labour's green credentials.

The Liberal Democrat election manifesto promised to oppose the expansion of all UK airports, including Luton.