The Park and Ride service for Ipswich was being relaunched today with a new operator, fresh vehicles, and new services.

Ipswich Buses has taken over the Park and Ride service which links car parks at Copdock Mill and Martlesham, passing through the town centre and Ipswich Hospital.

Its vehicles are equipped with wi-fi and for the first time passengers with a park and ride ticket will be able to use it to transfer to any other Ipswich Buses route in the town.

Someone using the Copdock Park and Ride site could, for instance, use their ticket to visit the town centre and pay a visit to John Lewis at Futura Park.

The service will be launched by Graham Newman, Suffolk County Councils cabinet member for transport, with Malcolm Robson from Ipswich Buses.

Ipswich Buses ran the service for the first 10 years until Eastern Counties took it over in November 2008. The company has now won back the contract with a bid which includes more passenger information and a pledge not to increase fares.

The change of operator was marked today by a special ceremony at Copdock Mill and the new buses are now operating in the town.