The business centre is a regional centre situated in Teesside in the North-East of England, approximately 10 miles southwest of Hartlepool and 2 miles west of Middlesbrough. The A19 and A66 dual carriageways link the town with the A1(M), junctions 57, 58 and 59 - all situated approximately 12 miles to the west. The A19 also gives Sunderland and Newcastle Upon Tyne access to the north and York to the south. Local train services connect Darlington with the main East Coast Inter-City routes, connecting to London Kings Cross and Edinburgh. Daily scheduled flights operate to various UK and European destinations from Teesside Airport and Newcastle International Airport. The town is developing a diversified economy, with strong growth in the service sector in recent years. However, manufacturing is still important to the town, with a greater than average proportion of the population employed within this sector.