Flood-hit areas get brief respite before more bad weather hits

DISRUPTION: Courier Country deals with travel woes after gales and heavy rain

Gale force winds and torrential rain caused travel misery and flooding across parts of Tayside and Fife at the weekend.

There could be further disruption to come today as the Met Office last night issued a yellow weather warning for snow, particularly on higher ground.

It said the morning rush hour could be affected and warned of the possibility of delayed or cancelled rail and air travel.

The latest band of bad weather comes as flood-hit communities were given a brief respite yesterday following the deluge on Friday and Saturday.

Inflatable flood defences were deployed in Cupar on Saturday afternoon as the swollen River Eden threatened to engulf homes in Waterend Road.

The relentless downpours caused the river to burst its banks, bringing flooding to fields across large swathes of the Howe of Fife.

Riverside Park, in Glenrothes, and Lochore Meadows were also badly affected by flood water, with the play equipment at the Glenrothes park virtually submerged.

Main Street, Thornton, was closed on Saturday night as floods rendered the road impassable and conditions were difficult on a number of routes where drivers were faced with surface water and fallen trees.

The Tay Road Bridge was closed to double-decker buses and while the Queensferry Crossing remained open, it was subject to a high wind warning.

Travel difficulties were compounded by a power failure at Haymarket station on Saturday morning which caused trains to come to a standstill.

This resulted in delays and cancellations to Fife services throughout the afternoon as units and staff found themselves displaced.

Perthshire was also badly hit and the railway line between Stirling and Perth remained closed yesterday due to water levels at Mill O’Keir viaduct near Dunblane, forcing commuters to rely on replacement shuttle buses.

A ScotRail spokesman said the line would not be reopened until “critical areas of damage” could be inspected, something that so far had not been possible due to “high, fast-running water levels”.

Roads from Balbeggie to Kinrossie and Cargill to Wolfhill had trees brought down by the high winds, stopping vehicles from getting past.

The Avenue in Aberfeldy, the C423 at Aberbothrie, and the road between Braco and Greenloaning were all shut off to traffic due to flooding and the B827 near Comrie was blocked by a landslip.

Parts of the road between Milnathort and Glenfarg were also impassable due to sitting water.

Parts of Highland Perthshire suffered heavy snowfall and Kinross-shire was affected by the downpour of rain.

The area around Loch Leven flooded when the loch burst its banks, leaving pathways chewed up, the pier submerged and businesses relying on sandbags to keep premises water-tight.

The Queich, a feeder watercourse, also surged beyond its banks and into streets in the south of the town from the early hours of Saturday morning.

Pictures: Kim Cessford. The River Eden was breaching its banks as it passed Waterend Road, threatening to engulf homes as inflatable flood defences were deployed.

Top: The River Leven was high as it flowed through Glenrothes’s Riverside Park; above left: the park was almost fully submerged in parts; right: the River Eden had burst its banks where it passes between Ladybank and Kingskettle as relentless downpours wreaked havoc across the area.