Essex County Council is releasing £1m of emergency funding to tackle road flooding across the county.

A package of measures is being put in place urgently in conjunction with district, borough and city councils to identify the worst flooding points, where action will be taken to clear culverts, empty and jet gullies and remove debris.

Cllr Rodney Bass, cabinet member for Highways and Transportation, is calling on the emergency services, drainage authorities, landowners, water authorities, rangers and the Environment Agency to also play their part in helping to clear up these flooding hotspots.

Cllr Bass said: “Essex has experienced the longest sustained period of wet weather for many years.

“I very much welcome the additional emergency support of £1m that will go some way to alleviating the roadside flooding we are experiencing. Investing resources sensibly in this way also prevents future flooding. I hope partner agencies will follow our initiative to ensure an effective response at the worst points of flooding.

“We are calling on each of our 12 districts to identify the five worst flooding hotspots on the road network by the end of this week so that we can begin this emergency operation, with their support, and try to deal with 60 flooding hotspots across Essex.”

Heavy overnight rain caused widespread flooding in north-west Essex on Friday, with Essex County Fire & Rescue Service (ECFRS) attending over 70 flood-related incidents in Saffron Walden, Stansted, Elsenham, Clavering and Newport.

In Saffron Walden, Thaxted Road, Victoria Avenue, Elizabeth Way and Radwinter Road appeared to be the most affected.

In Radwinter Road, 10 people – eight adults and two children – and two dogs were rescued from flats which had flooded in The Spike. The ECFRS boat was sent to assist with rescuing the residents.

Parts of Stansted Mountfitchet were also been hit hard by flooding, with businesses, residents and motorists affected.

• Essex County Council has released information advising residents to take care on the roads, at http://www.essex.gov.uk/News/Pages/Residents-advised-to-travel-with-caution0205-268.aspx.