A new express bus service will give thousands more Liverpool City Region residents quicker direct access to Liverpool John Lennon Airport when it launches in September.

The new X3 service will connect St Helens town centre directly with Liverpool John Lennon Airport, providing a faster and more convenient public transport option for passengers and airport workers.

It will begin operating on Sunday, September 6, coinciding with the first day that bus services in St Helens return to public control in more than 40 years.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority says the new route will mean more than 25,000 additional residents can reach the airport directly by public transport in under an hour.

More than 100,000 additional people will also be able to reach the airport within 80 minutes when onward rail and bus connections are included.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“When I said we were taking back control of our buses, it was never just about changing who runs them. It was about building a public transport network that works for local people.

“This new express service is a great example of what that looks like in practice. It will make it quicker and easier for thousands more people to get to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, whether they’re travelling for work, jetting off on holiday or welcoming friends and family to our region.

“We’re proving that when decisions are made locally, we can build a network around the needs of our communities instead of leaving them to the market. That’s how we’ll deliver the London-style transport system people here deserve – better connected, more affordable and giving people a genuine alternative to the car.”

The X3 will operate using brand-new, publicly owned, UK-built low-emission buses carrying the Liverpool City Region’s distinctive yellow and grey Metro branding.

Vehicles will feature USB charging points, more comfortable seating, level boarding, audio-visual announcements and improved accessibility.

The introduction of the service forms part of wider changes to the St Helens bus network as services move into public control.

Under the new system, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will determine when and where services operate and how frequently buses run.

Other improvements planned for St Helens include additional evening and weekend services, extended routes serving hospitals and some services that currently operate every two hours being increased to hourly.

The changes come as Liverpool John Lennon Airport continues to report strong passenger growth, alongside high national rankings for customer satisfaction and on-time performance.

The X3 is also part of wider plans to improve connections to the airport.

Funding has been secured for a proposed new rapid transit system intended to reduce journey times between Liverpool city centre and Liverpool John Lennon Airport, as well as improve links to Liverpool and Everton football stadiums.

John Iving LJLA CEO commented:

“With more flights to more destinations than ever before, improved connectivity for the airport from across the City Region is vitally important and this new express service will now make it much easier and quicker for thousands of St Helens residents to access the airport by public transport.”

The return of buses to public control is a central part of Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram’s plans for a faster, greener and better-connected transport system serving the region’s 1.6 million residents.

Since the Mayor was first elected, the Combined Authority has invested more than £500 million in the rail network, including the delivery of new stations at Maghull North and Headbolt Lane.

Plans for four further stations across the Merseyrail network are also progressing.

Tap-and-go ticketing has meanwhile been introduced on Merseyrail, alongside investment in new walking and cycling infrastructure.

Following the launch of publicly controlled buses in St Helens in September, the new system will be introduced in Wirral in October 2026.

Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton are scheduled to follow by the end of 2027.

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