PLANS for 500 cars at a riverside park-and-ride scheme herald the future of car parking in crowded Newport.

The city's first permanent park-and-ride scheme at Blaina Wharf, by the River Usk, in Pill, was approved by Newport council cabinet this week and could be running by this autumn.

The city could see more park-and-ride facilities as major redevelopment in the centre uses up remaining building space for car parking.

Councillor Graham Dally, cabinet member for transport, said: "The city has needed this for a long time and I'm delighted it's going ahead. This is one of the future arms of car parking for Newport.

"We've run a small scheme just for Christmas shopping, but the Blaina Wharf scheme is Newport's first real step to park-and-ride.

"We are looking to have it running by October or November, in time for Christmas shopping."

Bus companies are now being asked to tender.

Councillor Dally said a fleet of buses will run ten- minute shuttles to the city centre from Blaina Wharf, which was previously occupied by small trading units. The service could pass the Royal Gwent Hospital to serve staff and visitors.

Councillor Dally, who was the centre of uproar among jam-stricken drivers over bus lanes and new traffic- lights on Cardiff Road, added: "The secrets of a good park-and-ride scheme are security, and toilet and bus shelter facilities.

"I hope it will be a success. People have got to change their attitudes. They don't like getting out of one vehicle into another.

"But the city just isn't big enough for car parking. If the university goes ahead we will have lost car parking on the riverbank.

"Blaina Wharf is a five- year project, but hopefully another park-and-ride will be built near the new Southern Distributor Road bridge."

The council is also looking for a car-parking site for next year's Eisteddfod.