Personally Speaking: ‘We need better rail link to Manchester Airport’
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
We live in the best part of the kingdom – in the heart of this island home of ours. We are strategically located between two of the UK's biggest cities, sitting on the M6 corridor, with a local train station that links directly to the capital – North Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme should be firmly on the map. This is a place of brilliant people, local businesses and institutions, and immense, untapped promise.
Yet, for too long, we have been held back by a failed transport network.
Our region's relationship with major rail investment has been defined by disappointment – most glaringly with the turmoil and disgrace of HS2.
It was sold as a once-in-a-generation improvement. Instead, it generated years of disruption and uncertainty for communities across North Staffordshire. In places like Madeley, compulsory land purchases forced families from their homes, leaving properties abandoned and, in some cases, taken over by squatters. Then this leg of the project was scrapped, before it delivered a single benefit to a single local person, leaving so many in the lurch.
In rectifying that failure to improve rail connections across our part of the world, our focus should be on practical improvements that would make a real difference to people's lives and to our local economy.
One of the clearest examples, that I am campaigning for, is a direct connection between Stoke Station and Manchester Airport.
Right now, catching a flight from Manchester Airport via public transport is difficult at best. Local people who travel by train have to zoom past the airport up to Manchester Piccadilly before doubling-back down again, adding unnecessary time and hassle to what should be a simple journey and increasing the risk of delays.
More often than not, a costly taxi is the first choice.
For people travelling abroad for their family holiday, it’s an inconvenience, and for local businesses, it’s a massive competitive disadvantage.
Investment in our area relies on confidence in the transport infrastructure. Having to factor in a complicated train journey or an expensive taxi to the airport puts North Staffordshire at a disadvantage compared to better-connected regions.
A direct train to Manchester Airport would change that calculation, signalling that our area is open for business. It would strengthen our attractiveness to investors, make life easier for local businesses, and improve access to international travel for people across North Staffordshire.
This improved connection is also essential if key local assets are to remain competitive. Institutions like Keele University, with its Science and Innovation Park – the jewels in North Staffordshire's crown – attract students, researchers and talent from around the world. Easy access to an international airport is increasingly important if we are to continue attracting the people and investment that help our area thrive.
Airport access is not the only challenge. While we have a direct rail connection to London Euston in 90 minutes or so, the cost of travel is often prohibitive. A short-notice return ticket can easily cost more than £100, turning what should be a straightforward journey into an expensive luxury. It prices out families and local businesses, and puts off potential visitors too. And we know all too well the frustrations of dealing with Avanti West Coast.
We have the location, the talent, the businesses and the institutions. What we need now is the transport infrastructure to match.
A direct rail link to Manchester Airport is just one practical, achievable improvement that would boost our economy, support local jobs and strengthen Newcastle-under-Lyme as a destination for investment.
After the broken promises of HS2, that is exactly the kind of progress our communities deserve.
Sign the petition at www.adamjogee.com/stoke-to-manchester-airport
