Airport boss continues calls for better rail links in the North

Manchester Airport Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe, has continued calls for better rail connections across the North of England.

Pointing to data published as part of Manchester Airport’s parent company MAG’s Trade Barometer project that shows a gap in business confidence between the North and the south, he said while he can see reasons for economic optimism, it won’t be until the North is better connected that people in the region can feel the benefits.

The airport boss has argued that delivering on plans Northern Powerhouse Rail that will better connect Manchester Airport with cities across the region could turbocharge the benefits of the gateway’s trophy long haul routes and its historic £1.3 billion investment. Mr Woodroofe noted that the airport’s expanding route network, which has recently added major cities in India and Pakistan, connects the region globally are better than ever, but local links lag behind, with many intercity journeys no faster, and in some cases slower, than in the 1970s and 1980s.

Comments come after Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, confirmed to the Parliamentary Transport Select Committee on 12 November that Government was committed to improving rail connectivity in the North, and hoped to make an announcement on plans in the coming months.

In an op-ed piece welcoming the Government’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse Rail project, Manchester Airport Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe, said:

“We want to be sure that the benefits of having an international airport flow to all corners of the North, in the same way they do in London, the Randstad [in the Netherlands], or any other highly competitive region of the world.

“The Government’s continued commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail is a welcome one. It’s important that we get this right and the mistakes of other rail projects are avoided, but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that it needs to happen as soon as possible.”