ONE of the country's largest park-and-ride schemes got off to a successful start at the weekend, ensuring bumper crowds at a city's festival.

A new fleet of buses took to the streets of Durham on Saturday, heralding the start of a £10m scheme that has taken eight months to develop.

Thousands of people took advantage of the introductory offer of free travel to visit Durham's Christmas Festival.

The city was transformed with stalls in the Market Place and Framwellgate Bridge, a designers' fair in the town hall and a food fair in Millennium Place.

Event co-ordinator Colin Wilkes, of Durham City Forum, said yesterday: "We had excellent attendance on Saturday, despite the rain, and today is another bumper day. Everyone has worked extremely hard to make this year the best ever. We not only had 100 coaches from throughout the country, but thousands of people from the region, who have been using the park-and-ride scheme.

"They remarked how it not only got them here quicker, but how good it was too."

A Durham County Council spokesman said: "Things could not have got off to a better start.

"On both days people had parked their cars and were waiting for the first buses before the service even began.

"By mid-morning on Saturday, the car parks were full, and yesterday was also very, very busy.

"We have been getting people travelling into the city who have previously been put off coming here because they have had difficulty parking.

"Judging from the positive feedback we have had from people returning to their cars, the benefits of park-and-ride are quickly becoming apparent."

The Northern Echo spoke to users who praised the scheme, though some thought the £1.70 charge per adult could outweigh the benefits if there were many people travelling together in a car.

Harry Atkinson, of Sunderland, said: "There has always been a problem finding parking, particularly this time of the year. This is ideal."

David Raffle, of Newcastle, said: "If one or two adults are using the park-and-ride, £1.70 is reasonable, but if there are more people in a car, it can be a bit steep."

Eddie Kingston, of Bedlington, Northumberland, said: "I was not going to come to Durham, because it is normally choked with traffic.

"But I saw the park-and-ride signs as I came down the A1, so thought I would turn in and have a look. It is excellent."

Richard Ashley, of Gateshead, said: "Durham can be a nightmare for parking. This is really convenient."

* There are three park-and-ride sites surrounding the city, at Carrville, Sniperley and Howlands Farm.