eggc
If there are direct services from MAN that are doing well and other direct services that will do well then of course these will remain or should and probably will be taken up.
The extra runway is there to cater for the other routes that are not viable as direct services. Nothing is going to be taken away.
I am a northerner myself and understand the frustration about the UK being London centric, they are valid arguments for more investment in the north but whenever a debate is ongoing it tends to descend into a north/south argument and there are some people with such a big chip on their shoulder about anything 'Down South' it becomes a waste of time trying to have reasonable conversation.
I am not in any way saying that is yourself but there are comments on here that have gone down that route and that is where my 'Anti London Drivel' remark was aimed.