REDBRIDGE park-and-ride users in Oxford should see the new £400,000 passenger terminal open in time for Christmas shopping.

Officials are hoping the new facilities at Redbridge - a waiting room, public toilets, baby-changing facilities and cycle racks - will mean fewer shoppers driving into town over the busy shopping period and cut congestion. The new terminal at the Abingdon Road site follows the construction of a similar building at the Water Eaton park-and-ride, near Kidlington, in 2003, which cost more than £300,000. The terminal will feature a raised viewing platform like the one at Water Eaton, to provide security guards with a good view of the site. Its design will also be used for similar terminals at Seacourt, off Botley Road, and Pear Tree, in North Oxford, when funding becomes available.

Jean Fooks, the city council's cabinet member for transport, said: "The new passenger terminal should be open by December 4, which will mean we can encourage Christmas shoppers to use park-and-ride, and that will help to reduce congestion in a very busy period.

"CCTV is being installed to increase security at the site, with security staff working from early in the morning until 11.15pm.

"Unfortunately, there will not be security staff working round-the-clock, so it is common sense not to leave your vehicles there overnight.

"But with security maintained until after 11 it means people can come into town and leave their cars safe before going on to the theatre or a restaurant."