Shoppers 'get free ride to city'

Shoppers to Oxford can ride on the city's park and ride buses for free on certain nights in the run up to Christmas.

The free service, normally £1.60 for a single fare, will run on key nights in December to help people take advantage of extended store opening hours.

Oxfordshire County Council leader Keith Mitchell said the move would also provide a boost to local retailers.

Free parking was introduced at five of Oxfordshire's park and ride last month.

This latest initiative was agreed by the county council and Oxford Bus Company to tempt Christmas shoppers to the city and provide the local economy with much-needed trade during the economic downturn.

Mr Mitchell said: "We must do all we can to help people and businesses make ends meet in the run up to Christmas.

"There are undoubtedly many families who are going to find things extremely hard as they prepare for the festivities this year.

"Any little help we can offer will bring benefit and this was one way we thought we could assist."

Louisa Weeks, operations director at Oxford Bus Company, said: "We hope this will attract even more people to visit the centre of Oxford in the build-up to Christmas."

The park and ride bus service, which runs every 15 minutes to each of the five sites, will be extended from the usual end time of 1900 GMT to 2130 GMT on Thursday, 11 December, Monday, 15 December to Friday, 19 December, plus Monday, 22 December and Tuesday, 23 December.

Travel will be free from the sites after 1700 GMT and back to the sites from 1900 GMT on each of these evenings.

Travel from intermediate stops on the park and ride routes will not be free.

Reprinted from BBC