Heathrow residents welcomed the government’s confirmation that there will be no change to the way runways at the west London airport are used.

The residents had been concerned that, with a third runway at Heathrow ruled out, plans that would have created more noise on the existing two runways would be introduced.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said earlier this summer that the new government was opposed to altering the Heathrow system where, at present, the runways are restricted to either take-off or landing and switch each afternoon. And now Transport minister Theresa Villiers confirmed, in a Commons statement, that the government would not be approving a switch to “all-day” take off and landing – known as mixed mode operations – at Heathrow.

Mrs Villiers said: “This government believes that any potential benefits mixed mode might bring to the airport are outweighed by the negative impact such operations would have on local communities.”

John Stewart, chairman of Heathrow residents group Hacan, said: “This is good news for residents under the flight paths. The government has resisted pressure from the aviation industry to bring in more planes on the existing runways in order to compensate for the cancellation of the third runway.