PLANS for an £8m park and ride scheme to ease congestion in Durham City will be unveiled to the public today.

Durham County Council plans to build three car parks on the outskirts of the city, where people can park and then ride by bus into the centre.

The £8.3m Government-funded scheme is the final phase in the council's attempt to combat congestion that has seen the introduction of on-street parking charges and the toll road in Saddler Street.

The park and ride centres will be built at the A1(M)/A690 interchange at Carrville, Howlands Farm, next to Durham University in South Road, and at Sniperley, at the junction of the A167/A691.

Carrville already has planning permission and funding, although work has not started because the land sale is still being negotiated.

Planning permission has yet to be won for the other two sites.

The idea is that visitors, shoppers and workers will park free at the sites.

Each site will hold about 400 vehicles and have waiting rooms, toilet facilities and reserved spaces for the disabled.

Work should start next spring and the facilities could start to open later in the year.

Detailed plans and proposals for the schemes at Howlands Farm and Sniperley can be seen at County Hall today, tomorrow and Friday, from 9.30am to 4.30pm, and on Saturday, 9.30am to 12.30pm.