Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) is set to acquire up to 12 new fire engines which are more environmentally-friendly over the next three years.

A report going to Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet next Wednesday (June 23) says the GFRS fire engine fleet needs updating, with 20 vehicles potentially needing to be replaced over the next five years.

Up to 12 are due to be purchased over the next three years, with a further eight fire engines planned to be replaced over the following two years.

Funding worth £3,722,521 has been made available through GCC's capital programme to secure 12 new vehicles, each costing about £310,000. A further bid for capital funding will be made to replace the remaining eight fire engines.

The vehicles are more environmentally-friendly than the older fleet as they use greener technology, so the amount of emissions they produce will be reduced.

If cabinet agree to the purchases this will be part of the service's ongoing fire engine replacement programme, which ensures the fleet is replaced before it can no longer be used.

Cllr Dave Norman, Gloucestershire County Council cabinet member with responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The funding being provided for these new vehicles shows our continued investment in the fire service and will ensure crews can use the most modern fire engines to help keep people safe around the county.

"Using vehicles with greener technology will also continue our drive to cut CO2 emissions and help to tackle the climate emergency."