Direct train connection between Stoke-on-Trent railway station and Manchester Airport

That this House supports calls for the establishment of a direct train connection between Stoke-on-Trent railway station and Manchester Airport; notes the benefits this would bring for businesses operating in Newcastle-under-Lyme, the City of Stoke-on-Trent and across North Staffordshire; recognises the fact that many local families would benefit from a direct connection because it would cut the costs of travel to the airport and mean more people are able to travel to Manchester Airport on public transport rather than on road; acknowledges that a direct connection will also help ensure that Keele University and all the excellent businesses based at Keele Business Park are able to remain competitive with their rivals in other parts of the UK; and calls on the Department for Transport, the relevant train companies and the relevant local authorities to establish, at the earliest opportunity, a direct train connection for passengers between Stoke-on-Trent railway station, which serves residents in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across North Staffordshire, and Manchester Airport.