WEST Oxford residents have welcomed a flood prevention measure which will help their streets stay above water.

The area is one of the parts of Oxford prone to flooding and this is the latest scheme to help give the residents a bit more peace of mind.

Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council have been working together on the £4,000 project, providing two sumps in Duke Street and on Osney Island.

A sump is an area which can collect excess water so it can then be pumped away without making its way into people’s homes.

Earl Street resident Nick Hills, 64, said: “This won’t stop the water arriving because it will do that come what may but it will allow the water to be pumped out more effectively. “It will help keep the water levels below our floor level which is the main thing.

“During the most recent flooding threat at the end of last year I certainly felt much more secure than I have done in the past but the work is continuing.”

The work in Duke Street consists of replacing an existing gully with a larger one.

Its connection to the surface water sewer will have a much greater capacity and the chamber will also be deeper to maximise flow capacity.

Meanwhile in Bridge Street on Osney Island a completely new chamber is being built by city council. The scheme has been paid for by the county council with the help of Jericho & Osney county councillor Susanna Pressel, who retained her seat in Thursday’s elections. The Labour councillor said: “I’m very pleased that I was able to use some my county councillor budget to pay for three more flood prevention measures in the Botley Road area.

“I hope they will help residents to sleep more soundly in their beds when it rains from now on.”