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Flood fears raised after downpours batter Capital



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Published Date: 13 August 2008
By FAY WINTER
HEAVY rain has once again lashed the Capital, raising fears of further flooding and causing more misery for commuters.
The deluge continued throughout the night, prompting the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to put out flood watch warnings for Edinburgh and Lothian rivers.

No major flooding has yet been reported, but surface water on the roads has be
en causing problems for motorists.

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for Lothian and the Borders. A total of 35 mm of rain was expected to fall in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

A statement issued by the Met Office said today: "Further outbreaks of heavy rain will affect the area, giving another 15 mm in three hours in places. The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the latest Scottish Environment Protection Agency live flood warning information, and also to Traffic Scotland for further advice on road conditions."

Yesterday a driver was killed in a collision with a lorry during bad weather on the A904 in West Lothian.

Emergency services attended following the crash at around 4.10pm. The driver died as a result of the crash. However, a male passenger travelling with him was being treated by paramedics for his injuries.

A police officer at the crash site did not wish to comment on the cause of the accident. He did say, though, that the poor weather conditions and the wet road "did not contribute" to the tragedy.

However, local resident Jack Fortune believes the rain and poor lighting make driving on the road a "nightmare" for many motorists.

He said: "The road down there is really bad for accidents. There have been motorcyclists knocked off and even killed before."

SEPA today issued a statement advising people to be aware of the situation and be prepared for any flooding.

People are advised to keep valuable and sentimental items upstairs or somewhere above the flood line, and keep a list of emergency contact numbers and details of insurance policies somewhere safe. SEPA also advised people to prepare flood kits, including personal documents, waterproof clothing, first aid kit, mobile phone, torch and wind up or battery powered radio.

The weather warnings come just days after flooding caused chaos on city streets.

Key roads had to be closed, traffic lights failed and the rail line from Waverley to Haymarket was shut because of flooding from Princes Street Gardens last Thursday.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said there had been reports today of localised flooding in the Borders, but they were not aware of any major incidents in Edinburgh.

Traffic Scotland warned that surface water could cause problems on the roads, while a spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said traffic was continuing to flow through the city this morning.

Edinburgh City Council confirmed there were no major issues or road closures due to the rain.

Anyone concerned about flooding in their area can contact SEPA's flood line service on 0845 988 1188 or visit www.sepa.org.uk/flooding.

THE DAYS AHEAD
RAIN is expected to continue throughout the morning with the forecast for Edinburgh showing things brightening up later and into the evening. A mainly dry day is forecast for Thursday, with showers possible in the afternoon. Showers are due to continue over Friday, developing into heavier rain at the weekend.






The full article contains 564 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 13 August 2008 10:09 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Weather
 
1

Duncan in Edinburgh,

13/08/2008 12:19:33
Why is it that in weather like we've had in the past few days, motorists appear to drive even less safely than usual, taking stupid risks and making driving conditions worse than they need to be?

The rank stupidity by motorists on the roads in Edinburgh is astonishing. Running red lights in a torrential downpour, blocking cross-hatch junctions, pushing out into oncoming traffic to pass buses - it's worse than I can ever remember it.
2

Jenny MacArthur's Humvee,

13/08/2008 12:28:24
God is planning to flood Edinburgh to drown all the festival luvvies. Couldn't he just have held off a month then flooded London instead?
3

Sarcasm,

13/08/2008 12:32:38
Why is that in weather like we've had in the past few days, prats want to turn this into yet another car/public transport debate.

Don't they realise they might distract from rather poor sensationalist type article.
4

Sarcasm,

13/08/2008 12:34:07
Sorry Jenny, that wasn't meant for you.

It's not as if you would do anything of that ilk is it.
5

coco1107,

edinburgh 13/08/2008 12:36:04
I don`t think its drivers driving less safely,it`s just the poor conditions highlight their ineptitude
6

Regular visitor,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 12:37:10
re bad driving behaviour, saw motorist deliberately drive through flooding to splash woman at kerb, lights changed to red, she deserved an olympic gold for the speed at which she caught up, yanked door open, pulled driver out and proceeded to paste him royally!. Shocking behaviour indeed.........
7

Duncan in Edinburgh,

13/08/2008 12:38:01
#3 You're the first to mention public transport.
8

rs,

in ma house 13/08/2008 12:40:34
shock horror, it rains in this country!

9

Bill MacD,

13/08/2008 12:49:27
I agree entirely about the dreadful drivers, putting everyone else's lives at risk. The irony is that the worst and most dangerous drivers are the very idiots who sound off in these columns against speed limits and parking restrictions. They always think their own driving skills are so wonderful that they can go as fast as they like, wherever they like, regardless of conditions. The fact that statistics show clearly that speed kills is irrelevant to the antisocial petrolheads who sound off here regularly. We need far stricter enforcement of laws, and real penalties such as taking away their license until they've been re-tested.
10

Mr Hankey,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 12:59:34
Dreadfull drivers puttin lives at risk? Can't say that about the idiots on the Bypass who panic and slow down to 20mph when it's spitting surely 40 is managable? And how about a spot of lane discipline? You are all the real idiots!!!
11

Niadh,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 13:00:58
#5 coco1107

Tell me about it.
I just wish sometimes that there were more traffic cops out there.
I was on my way back to Edinburgh yesterday along M8 and came across a female driving a Blue Ford Focus (**06 TEV) who, depsite the fact that it was fairly busy, chucking it down and with lots of spray, quite happily spent the time from about Livingston to the Calder Road roundabout just up from Hermiston Gate on here mobile phone at 70mph.
Problem is the Police will not take any action unless one of their officers spots the activity.
12

Duncan in Edinburgh,

13/08/2008 13:07:24
#10 Indeed, driving too slowly for the conditions can be just as dangerous as driving too quickly.
13

Niadh,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 13:08:18
#10 Mr Hankey.
Don't get me started about lane discipline. Generally it is non existent and i usually undertake such muppets when i encounter them to make a point.
Admittedly it is alot easier to do on a motorbike but even in a car they still don't get the hint.

#9 Bill MacD
I am not infavour of some of the draconian speed limits enforced on various roads through out Scotland but your comments about "worst and most dangerous drivers are the very idiots who sound off in these columns against speed limits and parking restrictions"
is neither accurate or fair.
It has been proven that the people who regularly drive faster than most others tend to pay more attention to the road and what is going on around them.

The REAL dangers on the roads are those who do not pay attention to anything other than the car in front.
I would suggest you go and learn to ride a bike. Then you will find out exactly what observation is all about as your safety depends on your ability to spot hazards before they become dangers.
14

Cynicaltalk,

13/08/2008 13:20:04
So where are the eco muppets who preach about global warming and claim we are going to boil to death in pools of our own sweat unless we start unicycling to work?

Where's your global warming, 'summers are getting hotter' rants now?

Away with you! Tubes!
15

Duncan in Edinburgh,

13/08/2008 13:20:22
#13 Where, precisely, has it been "proven that the people who regularly drive faster than most others tend to pay more attention"? This strikes me as nothing more than wishful thinking from the arrogant. But perhaps you have that "proof" handy?
16

Rambo_the_Jambo,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 13:23:57
# 2 Jenny MacArthur's Humvee,

Or better still, Glasgow.
17

Farmernot,

13/08/2008 13:26:26
I blame the tram works myself
18

Duncan in Edinburgh,

13/08/2008 13:29:16
#17 Finally a bit of sense.
19

YummyMummy,

13/08/2008 14:00:29
#8

Terrible isn't it? I was expecting 350 days of sunshine, what a disappointment.

#17

For what? The fact people have lost their ability to drive well? Well, what you do is.. you know when theres road works and are going to be delays? You leave a little earlier
20

Farmernot,

13/08/2008 14:07:19
#19
When I leave early wi ma traictor and trailer folk get awfy upset oan the by pass ye ken.
21

Sarcasm,

13/08/2008 14:29:21
#7
Sorry I take it all back, your reference to buses in post 1 was nothing to do with public transport, my mistake.

Obviously.

These tour buses are a real hazard, can we agree on that.
22

Brian the Barbarian.,

13/08/2008 14:38:43
"keep Sentimental items upstairs" ?

Does this include my grandad cos we have had him locked in the attic ever since the cellar flooded back in 93.

Glad to see that for once mum is ahead of the game.
23

Adrian Hiscores,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 14:57:17

#14 global warming would actually make the UK colder.
24

A Leither,

13/08/2008 16:46:03
#13 Attribution of this 'proof' would be nice. Can you provide us with a link or is this just the fantasy excuse for speeding ? I can't say that the wee boys in their Saxos and Corsas (who think a bean tin on their exhaust magically gives them the skills of Lewis Hamilton) are paying more attention to those around them. They're usually paying more attention to the jazz cigarettes that they're sooking on whilst they're speeding.
25

sick of edinburgh,

13/08/2008 17:00:26
People just dont know how to drive anymore and dont know their highway codes and have no manners. The rain and any potential delay makes them even worse. A fat wee slapper in a car at Asda car park last week took exception to me pushing a trolley across the road when she wanted to turn into the road. The fact that I was already using the road when she appeared was lost on her. Pointing out the rules of the highway code (politely I may add) and that pedestrians have right of way in a car park with no pavements resulted in being told to F off. So in effect even when some Edinburgh drivers are in the wrong they just spit abuse and refuse to accept they may need to brush up on driving skills.
26

Bigwull,

edinburgh 13/08/2008 17:06:09
23 But it might not either, the so called scientists are funnily enough finding information that their paymasters wish them to find, amazing, they really just dont have a clue, its been warmer in the past and yet the world still revolved
27

archie12,

13/08/2008 18:41:52
After all the problems of the past week and more to come, has anyone seen proper work being carried out to clear vulnerable gullies, drains and culverts? The rain might be exceptional but the effects are at least mitigated if the culverts are clear and the water has a chance to run off.
28

Scotish Exile,

13/08/2008 18:55:55
a wee bit of rain and Edinburgh grinds to a halt, pathetic.
29

Gorgie_Tony,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 19:19:13
#23 - I totally agree with you. In fact I find it is more common for women drivers to break road traffic laws, regulations, and Highway Code rules. When they get behind the wheel they obviously feel in a 'superior' position as they often fail to abide rule 223 of the Highway Code, are routinely discourteous, and often fail to realise their wrong doings and try and suggest the victim is at fault. I understand an insurance company is offering females cheaper insurance because they are less at risk of an accident - I find this hard to believe from what I see on a daily basis. Female drivers are a serious accident risk on roads. I have seen several accidents over the past few months - all involving female drivers, and it appears all of them were at fault. Only a few years ago there was a television programme about a female driver who took about 30 attempts to pass the driving test. It goes to show how inept they are at driving.
30

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 13/08/2008 20:11:24
The fat ones are the worst, no.23,
31

The Geniune Mario Antionette,

13/08/2008 20:31:07
#6 - I agree. Aggresive, violent women be brought to book. The driver should have called the police.
32

Julian.,

edinburgh 14/08/2008 00:02:21
Gorgie_Tony,

So if we want to assess the risk of female drivers who are we going to refer to for advice?

(1) An insurance company whose only means of survival is to make accurate risk assessments for different groups of people or,

(2) A grumpy man who has come to his conclusion based on a few random observations and may well be influenced by prejudice.

???
33

Duncan in Edinburgh,

14/08/2008 10:22:07
#29 As I understand it, lower premiums for women drivers are based on the *costs* of insurance claims, not the frequency of them. So it's not that they have fewer accidents necessarily, it's that their accidents cost less to repair/deal with.
34

sick of edinburgh,

14/08/2008 10:58:46
Road Raga, it wasn't just that she was fat, she also didn't know how to put on makeup. So ugly my eyes were watering from the pain when I foolishly looked at her as she swore so elegantly.
35

yer-coats-on-a-shoogly-peg,

mountcastle 14/08/2008 18:41:40
when will you ever learn ?

 

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