Suffolk County Council funding has been secured to tackle persistent flooding problems in Kegrave and Rushmere St Andrew, thanks to lobbying by local councillors.

County councillors Robert Whiting and Christopher Hudson have been working to secure the funding for three areas in their division, which are now at the top of the council’s priority list.

The cycle path near the traffic lights on Bell Lane, and a problem area of Edmonton Close, both in Kesgrave, and The Street in Rushmere St Andrew will all benefit from the funding, which will allow improvement work to begin in spring 2015.

The money will be spent on improving the drainage where large puddles build-up in Bell Lane and Edmonton Close, while a gully drain will be installed in The Street after surface water splashed over the road and into a bungalow near Chestnut Pond.

The news has been welcomed by Debbie McCallum, resident and landlady of The Bell Inn, where residents have frequently voiced their concerns. She said: “People are angry because they pay their council tax for these things which they would expect to be fixed. They have been very patient and I think something should have happened before now.

“We have had so much rain this year so the issue isn’t going away.

“Children, cyclists and the elderly are being pushed onto the road at the Bell Lane traffic lights because of the water, and when it concerns safety it needs to be dealt with.”

Robert Whiting, Suffolk county councillor for Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew, said: “The design of these three schemes is currently underway and work will be carried out in the Spring. I am confident that, when completed, they will improve the situation in these problem areas but there are still many locations which will require similar attention.”

Other areas in the town including Penzance Road, Cambridge Road and Main Road have all suffered from poor drainage, and it is hoped that improvements in other areas will follow.

Christopher Hudson, county councillor for Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew, added: “These are just the first three locations out of many which need attention, however we successfully argued to get these to the top of a very long list and we will ensure more similar work is attended to at locations where flooding continues to be a problem.”