NEW purple park-and-ride buses were used for the first time in Oxford yesterday following a £4.5m investment from Oxford Bus Company.

Purple buses have replaced green buses on park-and-ride routes after the company bought in a new fleet of 20 buses to encourage more people to use park-and-ride in the run-up to the Westgate shopping centre reopening in October.

It is estimated that the number of shopping trips could increase from five million to 16 million a year and the investment is designed to help cut congestion by encouraging more shoppers to choose park-and-ride.

The new buses, manufactured byWrightbus in Northern Ireland, were unveiled at a launch earlier this month at the Bodleian Library.

Oxford Bus Company managing director Phil Southall said: “A few buses went out on the road for the first time today and they should all be delivered and in service by mid to late January.”

The buses have some seats featuring tables, on-screen information including next-stop announcements, USB charging points, and Euro 6 micro-hybrid engines with the cleanest vehicle emissions standards.

Mr Southall said earlier he hoped the investment would lead to more people using park-and-ride buses.

The 20 new buses, part of a £6.7m investment in 30 new buses, will replace the existing park-and-ride fleet which will be repainted and used on other routes.

Seacourt, Redbridge and Peartree park-and-rides are run by the city council while Thornhill and Water Eaton are run by the county council.

Liberal Democrat Jean Fooks said more passengers would be encouraged to use park-and-ride buses if they did not have to pay for parking and then pay for their bus ride - so-called double-charging.

A 658-space extension is planned at Seacourt park-and-ride.