COMMUTERS and Christmas shoppers coming to Hereford now have another place to park - on the site of the former shopping favourite, Rockfield.

The 200-space car park, next to the city’s railway station, opened on Tuesday and offers an all-day rate of £3 from Monday to Saturday.

It will be among the cheapest spots in the city, with only Merton Meadow's £2 daily fee costing less.

Both sites will ultimately be redeveloped as part of the proposed link road connecting Commercial Road, Edgar Street and a planned urban village close to Hereford United's football ground.

But, with a public inquiry focussing on compulsory purchase orders for those projects expected to begin in April, both car parks are likely to remain open until at least 2015.

The former Rockfield plot, home to a successful local business for more than 45 years, was bought by Herefordshire Council last summer for a figure believed to be around £7m.

At the time, councillor Graham Powell heralded the acquisition as key to improving traffic in Hereford which would take cars away from the city centre.

As a car park, it will at least do that.

The Station Approach site will charge from 8am to 6pm – offering an all-day Sunday price of £2 – and is located close to Hereford County Hospital.

It will also offer a cheaper alternative for commuters to the privately-run station car park, with season tickets available at £165 per quarter and £600 a year.

Later this month a cycle shelter and cycle store will be installed – the ‘store’ allowing cyclists to securely leave their bikes overnight after first registering on the Herefordshire Council’s ‘Park and Cycle’ web page.

The car park also features five disabled access spaces and an area where motorcyclists can park for free.

To book a season ticket for the Station Approach car park, call 01432 260315 or email invoices@herefordshire.gov.uk .