Man filmed cycling through flood as rain causes travel problems in Edinburgh

8 August 2019, 06:26

A man was spotted cycling through a flood after heavy rain caused travel problems across Edinburgh and the east of Scotland.

The video was taken at a roundabout near the city's airport, just off Eastfield Road, and showed the flood water leaving vehicles on the road partially submerged.

Just after 8pm, the airport's Twitter account advised people to check their travel options, adding that Lothian Buses could only stop on Glasgow Road because of the conditions.

The road reopened around half an hour later.

Trains in and out of the city were also hit by flooding in Linlithgow which caused the line to close.

Services between the Scottish capital and Glasgow Queen Street High Level and Dunblane were affected - with some passengers being taken back to Edinburgh.

ScotRail later tweeted footage of conditions inside the Winchburgh Tunnel after "a massive amount of rain".

Another post read: "The 1934 and 1945 departures aren't able to move forward towards Glasgow, as the floodwater is too deep in Winchburgh Tunnel.

"Now arranging for both to return to Edinburgh. It'll be the 1945 departure first, followed by the 1934 departure."

The disruption comes amid a busy Edinburgh Festival Fringe season and with thousands of music fans heading to Princes Street Gardens to see Florence + The Machine.

Edinburgh Summer Sessions organisers earlier on Wednesday tweeted to inform revellers of a delay in opening the gates to the venue because of the conditions.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were also called out to a number of incidents in the east of the country on Wednesday with homes evacuated near the Firth of Forth.

A spokesman told PA: "We were called to an incident at Mckelvie Parade Cycle Path at Lower Granton Road in Edinburgh at 1735 hours on Wednesday 7th August.

"Operations control mobilised two appliances and a line rescue team who assisted an adult male stuck on the sea wall.

"The casualty was handed to the Scottish Ambulance Service for treatment and the fire service left the scene at 1844.

"We were also called to am incident at Park Road in Rosyth at 1553 hours on Wednesday 7th August due to flooding affecting properties in the street.

"Operations control mobilised two appliances and a water rescue team who assisted occupiers of properties in Park Road and Harvie Street.

"A rescue centre has been set up by Rosyth Rugby Club."