BUS services in inner city Southampton are set to receive a cash boost of nearly £1m over the next three years.

Members of the City Council's Cabinet have agreed to buy two new mini-buses which will serve routes in St Mary's, Northam, Thornhill, Outer Shirley and Weston.

The new services will run in areas which are not served by existing bus routes.

Mini buses have been chosen as they can get down roads which are difficult to for normal sized buses to gain access to. The new services will also provide peak-hour links to Nursling, Millbrook and Hedge End as well as giving free transport to people who are going for job interviews.

Cash to pay for the scheme comes from a £750,000 grant from the Department for Transport as well as £100,000 from the New Deal for Communities fund and a further grant of £100,000 from the Outer Shirley Regeneration fund.

At the end of the three-year period, the new services will be assessed to see if they are commercially viable or if further government cash is needed.

The project was agreed at a meeting of Southampton City Council's Cabinet.

Southampton City Council leader Councillor Adrian Vinson said: "In securing this government grant, we will be able to bring bus services to many areas in the city."