Sensors added to major roads to spot flooding

Sensors to spot floods and "avoid huge amounts of disruption" are being installed along major roads.

Gloucestershire County Council will add the devices to Cirencester Road in Charlton Kings, St George's Road and Pittville Circus in Cheltenham as part of a pilot scheme to improve response times.

The sensors will send warnings to the council's Flood Risk Management Team when water levels start to rise.

Councillor Martin Horwood, cabinet member for nature, waste reduction, and climate said: "We're working to help reduce road closures, protect properties, and improve daily commutes during heavy rainfall."

The system uses sound waves to monitor water levels in key gullies.

The pilot, which is also being run in six other counties, will last for 12 months and could be rolled out more widely across Gloucestershire if successful.

Horwood added: "Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change and the council is looking for ways to reduce the impact on our communities.

"We clear more than 130,000 gullies every year and if this scheme proves successful, it could offer the potential for wider adoption across other parts of the county," he said.

Councillor Julian Tooke, cabinet member for business, economic development, planning and infrastructure, said they are "making smarter use of technology" and offering "enhancements to services for residents across the county".

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.