North-west increasing in competitiveness

The UK Competitiveness Index, created by University of Wales Institute in Cardiff, notes that cities such as Salford, Manchester and Liverpool are increasingly attractive places to do business.

According to the Financial Times, investment in the region's training and infrastructure by the Northwest Regional Development Agency has led to the improvements, particularly in the digital and creative sectors.

Our research strongly suggests that urban development in the UK is achieving a significant degree of success

Prof Robert Huggins

University of Wales Institute

Rating 407 local areas on factors such as research and development expenditure, workforce education and the number of start-ups, the index has been tracking cities since 1997 and was first published in 2000.

The index also reveals that the most competitive individual city outside London is Guildford, with St Albans and Cambridge following.

Prof Robert Huggins, who devised and compiled the study, commented: "Our research strongly suggests that urban development in the UK is achieving a significant degree of success.

In July, figures from UK Trade and Investment revealed that the north-west is one of the UK's leading regions for attracting foreign direct investment, with the area gaining 13 projects every month.