A MULTI-MILLION pound cash injection is set to transform transport in Southampton.

Park and rides and rapid buses linking the city to the surrounding areas are among the schemes that could be implemented in Southampton by 2023.

It comes as it was revealed that the city will receive £57m from central government.

The news was confirmed yesterday as Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced the 2020 budget.

Details of what the money will be spent on are yet to be revealed.

But last year civic chiefs said the cash boost from the government could fund several projects including a park and ride in Bitterne and one in Nursling, as well as hubs where people would be able to hire an electric vehicle, collect their online shopping and grab a coffee.

As previously reported, the so-called Local Mobility Hubs could be in Shirley, Lordshill, Portswood, Eastleigh, Bitterne and Woolston.

According to the budget, the £57m would also fund rapid bus links.

City bosses had previously said that rapid buses could link Southampton to Romsey, Hythe, Winchester, Fair Oak, St Denys, Thornhill, Hedge End and Bursledon.

A number of roads including the A33-A335 Eastleigh and Chandler’s Ford to Southampton, the A33 Waterside and Totton to Southampton and the A334-A3024 Hedge End to Southampton had also been identified as needing major work.

The £57m will come from the £1.22bn Transforming Cities Fund from the Department for Transport (DfT).

It comes as last year Hampshire County Council and Southampton City Council had submitted a joint bid asking for up to £145m.

Civic chiefs have not yet confirmed which of the aforementioned projects will be funded with the £57m.

But Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith said the fund is good news for Southampton and its residents.

“They have for too long not been given the same opportunities that other places had,” he said. Mr Smith added: “This investment will give them more options about what they do, it will help them to move around. Not everyone is getting a share of this money. This is the Chancellor putting the money where his mouth is.”

Cllr Dan Fitzhenry, opposition leader in Southampton, said the fund will help tackle congestion and create a greener city. “We are delighted,” he added.

Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council were not able to provide a comment.