People will be able to travel to the fun-packed Wiltshire Diamond Jubilee Celebration event on May 1 for free after Wiltshire Council announced Salisbury’s Park & Ride service will not be charging.

The frequency of the Park & Ride service will also be increased with buses leaving for Salisbury town centre every 12 to 15 minutes from all five sites. Extra buses are on standby should demand exceed expectations.

The last Park & Ride buses will leave Salisbury at 6.40pm.

Dick Tonge, cabinet member for transport, said: "Many people are expected to join in with these celebrations, and to ensure as many as possible can enjoy it, we are encouraging people to use public transport to access the city.

"Allowing people to use Park & Ride for free will help greatly with this."

The medieval-themed event will take place at Salisbury because of its links to the Magna Carta at Cathedral Close on May 1 from 10am to 5.30pm.

All Wiltshire’s community areas will each be represented with a tent packed with activities, artefacts and locally-sourced refreshments, as well as other ideas which show just what makes each community unique.

Wiltshire Council’s Shine 4 Wiltshire winners, The Salisbury Plain Military Wives Choir, will be performing along with the Prince of Wales Marching Band.

The close will play host to a number of activities with performances from actors in period costume and displays of falconry. Maypole and morris dances will take place, as well as Gambian drummers and a medieval combat re-enactment.

An armed services band will be performing and they will be hosting an inflatable assault course for families to enjoy.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will be visiting the south west, including Salisbury, on May 1 and 2.

This Jubilee celebration is part of the council’s 2012 a year of celebration in Wiltshire, which also includes the Wiltshire 2012 Festival of Celebration on July 11 at Salisbury’s Hudson Field.

This event celebrates the Olympic Torch passing through the county and is expected to attract thousands of people.