Shoppers can park and ride for free at scheme's launch

The two-day offer, billed as a festive freebie, is designed to give the £10m project a boost to coincide with Durham City's Christmas Festival.

All three park and ride services, at Sniperley, Howlands Farm and Carrville, on key approaches to the city, will be in use for the launch weekend, on December 3 and 4.

It was previously believed they would not all be completed in time for a simultaneous start for the Durham County Council project.

The park and ride present to Christmas shoppers is to tempt motorists to give the services a try. It applies to everyone parking at any of the three sites on both days.

Regular shuttle buses will ferry users at ten-minute intervals between the city centre and each of the three sites, all strategically situated at principle road entry points to Durham.

County council leader Ken Manton said: "We hope it gives people a taste of the benefits that park and ride will bring.

"Initially, we thought we would only be able to open two of the sites before Christmas, at Carrville and Howlands Farm, with the third, at Sniperley, near the main western approach to the city, due to open early in the new year.

"But progress has been quicker than we anticipated and it's wonderful to be able to open them all at once, and in time for Christmas too."

A total of 1,100 parking spaces are being created at the three edge-of-city sites, with drivers heading into Durham urged to leave their cars and finish the journey on the shuttle buses.

The scheme is designed to take long-stay traffic out of the city centre and free-up more short-term parking spaces for people wanting to make shorter trips.

A £1.70 return charge will apply on the shuttle buses or £1.50 a day for people buying season tickets.

Accompanied children will travel free and other concessions will apply.

People parking in multi-storey car parks in Durham are now charged up to £10 per day or up to £4.80 per day for on-street spaces.