The City of Wolverhampton Council investment - to go before cabinet for approval next week - will boost efforts to tackle seasonal leaf fall at key locations across the city.

This will help reduce the risk of blocked gullies, surface water issues and slippery surfaces for pedestrians and motorists.

The specialist sweeper and driver is in addition to the council’s existing vehicles but will focus on priority areas where leaf fall is heaviest and where build-ups can have the biggest impact on residents, businesses and travel.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, Cabinet Member for City Transport at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: "Keeping Wolverhampton clean, safe and moving is a year-round job, but the autumn leaf fall period brings additional challenges for our teams.

"This new dedicated road sweeper and driver will strengthen our resilience and give us extra capacity to keep roads, pavements and gullies clear at the locations that need it most."

Councillor Qaiser Azeem, Cabinet Member for Resident Services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: "The investment builds on the fantastic work already carried out every day by our street cleansing teams, who work tirelessly across the city responding to residents' concerns, maintaining our streets and helping to prevent problems.

“By investing in additional equipment and resources, we can respond more effectively, particularly during the busiest periods and help keep our neighbourhoods and key routes looking their best."

Wolverhampton is home to more than 500,000 trees and every year the council faces the significant task of clearing leaves from public land.

Between November and December alone, street cleansing and gully tanker teams collect around 300 tonnes of fallen leaves, the equivalent of around 25 double decker buses. Across the whole year, council teams remove approximately 4,000 tonnes of litter and leaves from the city's streets.

The dedicated sweeper forms part of the wider street cleansing operation, with staff working right across the city each day cleansing streets, sweeping gullies and maintaining hedges and verges.

Using street tree data, gully sensors and customer enquiries, the council can target resources to areas where they are needed most.

Street cleansing teams are also supported by specialist gully tankers that use powerful vacuum and jetting equipment to remove leaves and debris. Meanwhile the Urban Traffic Control team helps monitor the highway network and directs teams to sites in need of attention at busy times.

Residents are reminded that while the council is responsible for clearing leaves from public land, leaves on private property are the responsibility of the landowner.