Bus services delayed and roads blocked by flooding across region
Roads are blocked off and bus services delayed and re-routed after heavy rain has caused flash flooding across the region.
A weather warning for thunderstorms has been put in place by the Met Office for 22-hours up until 2am on Monday.
Roads across parts of the region have been hit with unexpected flooding as drains struggled to cope with larger than normal amounts of rain, with city centre roads and quiet avenues alike hit by flooding.
In Wolverhampton city centre, the section of the city centre ring road heading past the former site of the city market was flooded, with the area between the entrance to the crossing lights submerged.
In Stourbridge, a vehicle had to be recovered after being submerged between the junction of Old Ham Lane and Wollescote Road, with the road cordoned off until the water subsided and motorists asked to find an alternative route, while Dibdale Road in Lower Gornal was also blocked due to flooding.
Spring Road in Ettinghsall, Wolverhampton was hit by bad flash floods as drivers ploughed through deep water.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "WMFS have recovered a submerged vehicle from Stourbridge junction of Old Ham Lane and Wollescote Road.
"This is now cordoned off until water subsides which is anticipated to be some hours.
"Please find alternative route."
In Smethwick, photos taken by Sandwell Police showed the scale of flooding on Perrott Street, with drivers again urged to be careful.
A spokesman for Sandwell Police said: "Please be careful flooding on Perrot Street in Smethwick."
There was also localised flooding at the entrance to Gallagher Retail Park in Wednesbury.
Bus services across the region were also affected by the flooding, with buses diverted away from flooded areas in Pendeford, Blackheath, Dudley and Walsall.
Among the services diverted were the 25 through Bushbury towards Pendeford, the 8, 9, 10 and 35 services towards Walsall, the 18 to Dudley and the 4 and 4m towards Blackheath.
A spokesman for NX West Midlands said: "Due to Three Tuns Lane being flooded, service 25 is on diversion
"The 25 to Pendeford will go through Elston Hall Lane, Fourdhouse Road, Bushbury Lane, Stafford Road, Three Tuns Island, Marston Road, normal line of route, with the route to Bilston the reverse.
"Due to flooding on Lichfield Road, the 8, 9,10 and 35 services are diverted, with the services from Walsall going on Mellish Road, Walsall Road, Bosty Lane, Lichfield Road, then normal route.
"Heading to Walsall, services will go on Daw End Lane, Walsall Road Aldridge Road, Mellish Road, Lichfield Road, then normal route.
"Services 4/4M are on diversion due to flooding under the Railway Bridge.
"The 4/4M from Walsall will go on Brandon Way, Albion Road, Oldbury Road, Bromford Road, then normal line of route.
"The 4/4M To Blackheath will go on Fountain Lane, Albion Road, Brandon Way and Bromford Lane.
"Due to flooding, service 18 is on diversion.
"The 18 to Dudley will go to High Street, Quarry Bank, 5 Ways Cradley, Graingers Road, Corngreaves Road, Timbertree Estate, then normal route, while the 18 to Merry Hill will go on the reverse of above."
The flooding also left a large amount of standing water underneath the M6, with a photo from Central Motorway Policing Group (CMPG) showing the scale of the flooding, as well as surface flooding on the M6 to M5 junction.
A spokesman for CMPG said: "M6 to the M5 Southbound From Junction 9 is slow due to flooding. Please take care and be patient.
"Highways West Midlands are aware."
