Comment from Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport:
“Speculation emerged that the Government is gearing up to revive plans for a Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) network spanning the east-west of the country. Manchester Airport Group have recently published data painting a picture of the global trade fortunes of businesses across the UK in Q2. The first set of data conjures up images of frustrated commuters on platforms, yearning for a speedier and more reliable service. The second, of globetrotting businesspeople, hopping on jets to strike deals that get their British-made products on shelves around the world.

“It is hard to imagine how the two are connected…but they are! Delving into the findings of the UK Trade Barometer, there are lots of angles to grab headlines: the impact of Trump’s tariffs; the re-emergence of China as a key market for British exporters; and the ever-increasing importance of the EU as a trading bloc. But as a leader of a major corporate headquartered in the North, there’s another finding that jumps out.

“In the survey of 2,000 UK businesses – conducted by YouGov for MAG and the Growing Together Alliance of business groups – 63% of those in London said they export and increased global sales in Q2. That compares to 57% in the North and 51% in the Midlands. Looking forward, more than half of London businesses (51%) expect to increase exports to a market they already sell to in the next three months. Less than a quarter feel the same in the North (22%) and Midlands (22%). It is no secret this government is on a growth mission. Recent GDP figures were cautiously welcomed by the Chancellor but paint a similar picture to the UK Trade Barometer – growth, but slightly slower growth than before. The conundrum is how to turbo-charge it.

“What we have now is clarity – in the form of the Modern Industrial Strategy, which picks out the sectors we have strengths in and that have the highest growth potential. The good news is that these industries don’t just exist in London. They are abundant across the North – from AI clusters in Liverpool to medical device specialists in Yorkshire and the “Atom Valley” in Greater Manchester.

“Here at Manchester Airport, we are developing MIX Manchester, a scheme that aims to be the best-connected science, innovation and advanced manufacturing campus in the country. Arguably, the most important words in that sentence are “best-connected” – that’s because we know all the sectors identified by the Industrial Strategy rely more than most on two things: talent and access to the world.

“Both those things drive productivity and innovation. We also know that towns and cities with a higher proportion of exporting businesses have higher living standards. Hopefully, you’re now starting to see the connection between the two topics I introduced earlier. As a member of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board, it won’t surprise you to hear I’m a huge advocate of improved east-west connectivity. A new Liverpool-Manchester line that goes via Manchester Airport and on to Bradford, Leeds and beyond has the backing of public and private sector leaders across the North, and we await announcements eagerly.

“There are lots of reasons this scheme would be transformational, but chiefly it will radically improve how easy it is for people across the North to access their international gateway – Manchester Airport. It will put trips to key global markets within reach for the first time, encouraging businesses to trade globally.

“There is no better example of this than economic forecasts produced as we launched a new route to Mumbai recently. It is estimated that route will deliver a boost worth hundreds of millions of pounds to the North in the next three years, including more than £32m each year in exports and £9m each year by cutting travel costs for businesses who already travelled indirectly.

“Perhaps most crucially, when the time taken for surface journeys to airports are reduced, the airport’s catchment area increases. Put simply, more people live within an easy commute than did before – and that helps us attract new routes. Research conducted for us by Arup estimates up to another 50 long haul routes could be added to our departure board if NPR is delivered in full and the Northern economy fires on all cylinders. To fire on all cylinders, it needs all the Industrial Strategy sectors to maximise their potential right here in the North, creating jobs and driving higher wages.

“So, my vision for the North is a world in which there are no headlines speculating that an east-west high speed rail line is finally going to be delivered, because we already have it. And it is a world in which research like our UK Trade Barometer doesn’t reveal such a stark contrast between where firms are located and the extent to which they are excelling on the global stage. These are long-term aspirations, but the next few months will go a long way to indicating whether they will become a reality.”

Find out more: Manchester Airport Group