NATIONAL Highways is hailing the installation of a brand new state of the art drainage system which has been placed underneath the M5 at Oldbury.

The system, which is made up of 10 filters, is designed to improve the quality of rain water entering the nearby canal after it has fallen onto the carriageway by capturing debris and pollutants.

Having cost £7million to install, this pioneering system is believed to be the largest of its kind in the country and will vastly improve the quality of water.

National Highways project manager Colin Jackson said: “This new drainage system is a real boost to the local canal network that runs underneath the M5 Oldbury viaduct.

“It has been designed with a special filter inside the pipework which captures the debris and pollutants before entering the water network, which is then removed by specialists at regular intervals.

“We know that the local habitat is a crucial part of the landscape at Oldbury and we’re confident this new drainage system will play a significant role in helping biodiversity

It took in the region of eight months to put the new drainage system in place using specialist equipment to dig between the foundations under the M5 without impacting on traffic.