Skylink (bus service)

Skylink is the collective name of two separate routes servicing East Midlands Airport in Leicestershire 24 hours a day from the local towns and cities of Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and Derby.

The two services, Leicester to Derby, and Loughborough to Nottingham are run by separate (but sister) companies; Kinchbus and Trent Barton.

The Skylink services operated by Kinchbus has been operating since 2008 between Derby and Loughborough [1] but was only extended to Leicester following the removal of the service by Arriva Fox County. The services run hourly[2] through the day and night via Kegworth with an additional service running 30 minutes out of step via Diseworth and Long Whatton during the daytime.

The Skylink services operated by Trent Barton have run between Nottingham and Loughborough since March 2012 when they replaced the earlier 'Indigo' service. The service runs every twenty minutes during the day between Nottingham and East Midlands Airport, with an hourly extension to Loughborough.[3] Following a local petition,[4] an hourly service to Coalville and Shepshed was introduced in September 2015.[5] Through ticketing is available between Skylink and the Nottingham Express Transit tram system.[6]

A third service was introduced between Nottingham and East Midlands Airport in 2016 with black coaches possibly formerly on another of Trent Barton's services, the Red Arrow (between Nottingham and Derby).

Images

An old Nottingham Skylink run by Trent Barton. There seems to be another Skylink in the far right side.
Kinchbus Skylink leaves Derby bus station.
Another Skylink bus leaving Arkwright Street North for Carrington Street, crossing Waterway Street West (A6008) to the left and Queen's Road (A6008) to the right. Skylink's operate out of Friar Lane in the City Centre, stopping at the Nottingham Rail Station, Trent Bridge, Wilford Green and Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton Campus on it’s way to Pegasus Business Park and the East Midland's Airport. The livery has since changed along with the buses on this route.

References

  1. ↑ New operator for Leicester Skylink Bus service UK airports information blog 17 March 2009
  2. ↑ http://www.kinchbus.co.uk/timetables/skylink.aspx Leicester to Derby Timetable
  3. ↑ https://www.trentbarton.co.uk/services/skylinknottingham Skylink Nottingham Timetable
  4. ↑ http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/petition-launched-skylink-stop-shepshed-8266019
  5. ↑ http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/new-skylink-daily-service-launches-10110684
  6. ↑ http://westbridgfordwire.com/joint-coach-tram-ticket-launched-to-the-airport/
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