New rail link to open up wider Airport access

Travelling to Liverpool John Lennon Airport is now easier for rail passengers from West and North Yorkshire, following the start this week of a new service calling at nearby Liverpool South Parkway station.

For the first time, trains run by First TransPennine Express now link Scarborough, York, Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester direct with the award-winning station.

The station itself is linked by a dedicated airport bus link every 20 minutes, which operates door to door, taking passengers direct from the station entrance to the front of the airport terminal in just ten minutes.
To make travel as simple as possible, all-in-one discount tickets including rail travel with First TransPennine Express and transfer on the Airlink 501 bus to the airport will be introduced.

With Europe’s biggest low-cost airlines helping to make Liverpool John Lennon Airport one of the UK’s top 10 busiest airports with direct flights to over 60 destinations, the new integrated rail and bus link journey opportunity is expected to attract passengers from a wide catchment area for travel to and from Europe.

"With direct trains, quick, frequent bus transfer and a choice of low-cost airlines, we‘re confident that passengers from across the Pennines will appreciate how easy it is to reach the airport. We’ll also be offering discount advance purchase rail fares to complete the package," says Leo Goodwin, commercial director for First TransPennine Express.

There are now 16 daily services between Yorkshire and Liverpool, except on Sundays when there are 14.
Robin Tudor, Head of PR for Peel Airports, owners of Liverpool John Lennon Airport commented, "This new service is yet another piece of the jigsaw for the Airport, opening up public transport access to the Airport from parts of the North of England not previously served before. Passengers will now be able to access the airport by train from a far wider catchment, to take advantage of its wide choice of destinations and great value fares."

Councillor Mark Dowd, chair of Merseytravel, said: "Liverpool South Parkway has proved to be a major success and continues to grow as a major interchange. It mirrors the success of Merseyrail as one of the best performing rail networks in the country."

Northern Rail, London Midland and East Midlands Trains services also call at the station bringing passengers from across the region to the Airport.

Advance purchase single tickets from Scarborough will be available for £14.80, from York £10.80, from Leeds £8.80, from Huddersfield £8.80. The tickets include travel by First TransPennine Express trains and the Airlink 501 service to the airport and will be on sale from 2 January 2011.