Postwick park and ride is to reopen on Saturdays in time for the run-up to Christmas, it has been announced.

Saturday services were suspended last April as part of Norfolk County Council's overall spending reductions.

The council said an advertising campaign has seen an increase in passenger numbers, and this is causing a welcome pressure on numbers at peak time across some sites, but particularly at Sprowston.

By linking the two services, buses will alternate between Postwick and Sprowston, running Postwick-City-Sprowston and Sprowston-City-Postwick, so there will be no increase in journey length and time for customers, but a more reliable service.

A spin-off of this arrangement is that it will be possible to reopen Postwick on Saturdays at little extra cost, starting from Saturday, October 22.

Graham Plant, cabinet member for planning and transportation, said: 'We have seen a welcome increase in people using park and ride. Some are coming back to the service, but we have also found that the effort to promote the service is attracting new customers who have realised what good value Park and Ride is at �2.30 a day or less.

'We have strong desire to maintain a reliable and punctual service for our customers. The bus sharing plan with Postwick will help us do that, and being able to reopen Postwick on a Saturday is a bonus in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year sales.'

Norwich park and ride buses are colour-coded according to the site the serve, and customers will see a slightly revised panel on the front of Postwick and Sprowston buses, with very clear destination displays to help passengers recognise a bus going to their parking site.

Costessey park and ride will remain closed on Saturdays.

An adult day return costs �2.30. The daily cost can be reduced by buying a ten return trip ticket for �21, and four week ticket for �39, or an annual season ticket for �390. Each adult ticket is also valid for up to four children.