The county council has agreed investment of £1.25 million in Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) to upgrade its vehicle fleet.

The approval follows a report submitted to Gloucestershire County Council which said the service’s fleet is ageing and needs replacing.

It means that three “specialist” new engines will be purchased over the next two years.

The vehicles - an Aerial Ladder Platform, Incident Command Unit and Crane Unit - produce less emissions than older models and would help to keep the availabilty of service vehicles high.

Chief Fire Officer Mark Preece said: “These new vehicles will enable us to continue to provide the best possible service to the people of Gloucestershire. The current fleet is ageing and needs replacing and these more modern, efficient vehicles will ensure that we can respond as promptly as possible to fires and other emergencies around the county.”

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member responsible for GFRS, said: “I’m delighted that we are able to continue our investment into Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service. These new vehicles will help us meet our climate change ambitions by cutting emissions and ensure crews are using the most modern vehicles to keep people safe.”