SHOP workers in Durham are being offered free park and ride travel in a bid to reduce city centre traffic congestion in the pre-Christmas rush.

Durham County Council highways chiefs plan to run the Saturday bus service between County Hall and the heart of the city from 7.30am instead of the usual 9am.

During that extra period of operation, which will be introduced at the beginning of December, people will not have to pay the £1 per car return fare.

The county council has been running the service for the past couple of years and is taking other steps to discourage vehicles from the city centre.

Highways manager Roger Elphick said: "We'd like more people to use the service to get to the Prince Bishops shopping centre. The idea is to get shop workers to use it rather than park in the city centre.

"Last year we didn't have many people using it, but we are trying to promote it this year."

The service will be running on the Sunday of the city's popular Christmas festival when most of the shops will be open.

The county council has introduced on-street parking charges and residents' permits on most streets in and around the centre.

Officials are also working on plans to introduce tolls for vehicles using Saddler Street.

Plans are also in the pipeline for three major park and ride sites, at Belmont, at Sniperley and near the Cock o' the North roundabout.

The council is seeking planning permission for the first of the schemes, at Belmont.

The site, which is near the A1(M), could also serve as a rail interchange if the mothballed Leamside Line is ever returned to use.