STANSTED Airport passengers travelling to and from Ipswich can now book tickets for a new direct coach service which will begin on May 3.airdirect, which is a partnership between BAA Stansted and Excel Coaches, will offer services every two hours, 24 hours a day, 364 days of the year.

STANSTED Airport passengers travelling to and from Ipswich can now book tickets for a new direct coach service which will begin on May 3.

airdirect, which is a partnership between BAA Stansted and Excel Coaches, will offer services every two hours, 24 hours a day, 364 days of the year.

A new website www.airdirectipswich.com and telephone booking line 01279 681800 have been launched that allow passengers to book tickets for the service.

Passengers using airdirect can sign up to a text message alert service which indicates when the coach is leaving the airport to begin its journey to Ipswich.

There is also a facility for passengers who live on the outskirts of Ipswich to include a taxi service into their journey that drops them off at the main bus station in the town centre to connect with the airdirect service.

“The feedback we have received since announcing the airdirect route has been extremely positive,” said Steve Mills, Stansted's public transport development manager.

“Ipswich is a key town in the east of England and while we already have more than 40per cent of our passengers using public transport to get to and from Stansted, this new route will help us continue to build on our UK leading position.

“This service will be the only direct public transport link between Stansted Airport and Ipswich and with a journey time of one hour and 15 minutes we are confident that people in the town will find it extremely convenient and an excellent alternative to their car.”