West Midlands Trains/London Northwestern Railway (LNWR) joined our recent Chamber Transport forum and we were delighted to hear of the company’s aspirations to develop a direct rail service, connecting our region with Manchester Airport.
LNWR is the eighth rail operator to move into the Department for Transport Operator (DfTO) group. In the short term, operations, branding and governance remain largely unchanged, although a new board will report directly to DfTO. Full integration into Great British Railways will follow later.
We heard that LNWR passenger satisfaction is at 70% and that journey cancellations are down 30%, with revenue increasing and more journeys being made across the network.
The proposed Manchester Airport service aims to grow the business and improve connectivity. It would extend the existing Stafford–Stoke-Crewe service north to Manchester Airport and south to Birmingham via Wolverhampton and the new Darlaston and Willenhall stations, running on an hourly frequency.
The commercial business case for the service projects a growth in revenue, as well as creation of new jobs. Direct journey times to/from Manchester Airport would be about 1 hour 10 minutes from Stafford and 55 minutes from Stoke-on-Trent.
As a Chamber, this is something we’ve called for over the course of many years. Manchester Airport serves a wide range of global destinations, from Abu Dhabi to Zagreb. Having a direct rail service into the heart of the Airport is welcome news for both business and leisure travellers, all too familiar with congestion on the A34, M6, A556 and M56.
Both Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford already benefit from direct rail travel to Birmingham Airport (Birmingham International), with Stafford also having a direct rail connection to Liverpool John Lennon Airport (via Liverpool South Parkway).
Extending the current service south from Stafford to Birmingham New Street, will offer an additional service connecting our region with the UK’s second city.
Watch out for further developments but subject to final approval, the new service could be up and running at the end of 2026.
Network Rail also joined our Transport forum and gave an update on the development of a business case for a rail link connecting Birmingham and Manchester, which builds on previous strategic industry planning. The business case aims to test proposed infrastructure and service changes, in order to assess operational feasibility and benefits for both passengers and freight.
Our Transport forum goes beyond rail, with further discussions on buses and roads, including our ongoing call for commitment to invest in the A50/A500 corridor, a vital east-west artery for our region.
If you would like to join our Transport forum and help to shape and influence our policy and lobbying work in this area, as well as growing your network of contacts, feel free to get in touch:
