THE BASINGSTOKE Centre Shuttle bus service celebrated its second anniversary this month - and a loyal passenger received a free travel pass to commemorate the event.

Wally Negus was on the bus when Basingstoke and Deane borough councillor Stuart Parker, Cabinet member for environmental sustainability, decided to take a ride.

Cllr Parker handed out mince pies to passengers before presenting Wally with a free ticket to ride for a month in celebration of the park-and-ride service's second birthday.

The shuttle links the ample parking available at Basingstoke Leisure Park with the town centre. It runs every 10 minutes until late at night, seven days a week.

Wally, who lives in South Ham, Basingstoke, has been using the service since it began.

He said: "The park-and-ride is a great idea and I'm always telling everyone how good it is.

"I drive down to the leisure park, where I know I can park with no problem, and there is never long to wait before a bus comes along."

Cllr Parker is very pleased with the way the project has gone. He said: "The shuttle goes from strength-to-strength, regularly carrying over 4,500 passengers a month - over 50 per cent more than last year.

"We are expecting to break all records during the Christmas period, as it offers a real alternative for shoppers when the town centre car parks fill up.

"The service has already clocked up 400,000 passengers since its first journey in December 2002."

Cllr Parker added: "I decided that I would like to mark the occasion by travelling on the bus and awarding a special pre-Christmas present to one of the passengers."