New Greyhound buses start running

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Greyhound buses have been operating in the USA for many years

Greyhound buses - a popular way of travelling cheaply in the United States - have started running in the UK.

Transport firm FirstGroup bought the Greyhound bus company two years ago and services from London to Portsmouth and Southampton started on Monday.

Rivals Megabus, National Express and South West Trains have cut their prices after Greyhound announced £1 fares.

The 41-seat coaches run hourly and have leather seats, wi-fi, air conditioning and complimentary newspapers.

FirstGroup bought US-based yellow school bus firm Laidlaw, which included the Greyhound cross-country coach company, for £1.9bn in 2007.

The non-stop journeys from London Victoria to the Hampshire cities take less than two hours.

The firm has said it hoped to add further destinations next year.

Popular with backpackers and those wanting to make long but cheap journeys in North America, Greyhounds were started in Minnesota in 1914 by Swedish-born Carl Wickman.