A coalition has been formed by three councils to oppose further runways being built in the south east.

Essex and Hertfordshire county councils and East Herts District Council have joined forces to press the Government to reconsider its plans to build additional runways at Stansted and major expansion at Luton.

Hertfordshire's environment executive member Derrick Ashley said: "We have to stand up and be counted, and tell it to them straight that these expansions are not needed. We're going to fight every inch of the way to get the plans scrapped."

A brochure summarising the coalition's key arguments has been published, which spells out how demand can be managed and met until 2015, why the Government should address the environmental impact of aviation before making decisions about infrastructure, and what the alternatives to meeting future demand may be.

Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield said: "We're concerned the Government is missing a vital opportunity to balance the demands of the aviation industry against its impact on the environment.

"We recognise air travel is a vital and inevitable aspect of our future. But our research shows that the Government can realise the benefits aviation has to offer, without building new runways in the south east."

Over the next few months the coalition will be presenting its views to key Whitehall decision makers working on the Government's forthcoming aviation White Paper.