Last October the UKWA Policy team met with representatives of Rugby Borough Council to inform their economic strategy, which has now been published, and this policy briefing will provide a write-up
Rugby, as a town in the golden triangle, has 90% of the UK population within a 4-hour driving time. And with access to motorways connecting north, south and west (M1,M6,M69), and the A14 heading east, Rugby is very well connected.
There is recognition in the strategy that Rugby’s largest business sector is logistics and is home to leading warehousing and logistics firms such as Iron Mountain and DHL. In their SWOT analysis of Rugby’s economy, its ‘highly sought after location for [the] logistics sector’ is noted as a strength, and the strategy labels as one of its aims to be recognised nationally as a centre of innovation in logistics sustainability and technology.
The strategy also recognises how our sector creates high-skilled jobs and opportunities for young people:
‘Rugby has been a magnet for largescale inward investment from the logistics sector over the last 20 years and will continue to be a major draw for such inward investment. This is to be welcomed as the sector advances its approach to sustainability and use of technology, automation and engineering, which brings higher-skilled jobs. To support this, we will engage directly with businesses in the sector to develop training and apprenticeships in robotics, automation, sustainability and IT associated with the needs of high-quality advanced logistics’.
More widely, Rugby does well economically, with £3.2bn GVA, it has higher average workplace earnings than Warwickshire and Britain, and a lower unemployment rate than the West Midlands and Britain. Rugby also has a track record of being an innovative and entrepreneurial area and currently has a higher than UK average start up rate by small businesses.
The UKWA regularly engages with local government, providing a voice for our industry and ensuring our members’ interests and concerns are represented.
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