Fans issued warning over cup final travel disruption
FOOTBALL fans travelling to the Scottish Cup Final on Sunday are being urged to plan their journeys in advance amid warnings engineering work will cause disruption to three of the four rail links between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Around 50,000 Celtic and Hibernian supporters are expected to head to Hampden in the south side of Glasgow for a 3pm kick-off, but planned engineering works over the bank holiday weekend mean replacement buses are being laid on for certain routes and trains will not stop as usual at some stations between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
ScotRail is asking fans to buy tickets in advance and to be aware queuing systems will be in operation at key stations. An alcohol ban will be in place on trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow s t a t i ons, and between Glasgow Central and Mount Florida/Kings Park.
A half-hourly service – with extra carriages – will run all day on Sunday on the Edinburgh-Glasgow route via Bathgate.
Passengers are also advised that EdinburghGlasgow trains in both directions will not call at Falkirk High or Croy on Sunday due to engineering work, and that the journey time will be 15 minutes longer than usual. Falkirk passengers should use Grahamston station rather than Falkirk High. Additional carriages will also be used on the diverted Edinburgh-Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk Grahamston route.
Passengers on the Glasgow Central-Edinburgh via Shotts route will be allocated replacement buses due to engineering works in Midcalder lasting from Saturday until next Wednesday.
Supporters travelling to the match from Bishopbriggs, Lenzie and Croy will be able to catch replacement buses to Falkirk Grahamston and Larbert train stations, where rail services will connect them to Glasgow.
The final coincides with the Edinburgh Marathon, adding to pressures on police and transport staff.
Superintendent David Carradice, of Police Scotland Edinburgh Division, said: “I woul d encourage all supporters to plan their day and travel, in advance.” A MAN, who is in his 40s, is in a serious condition in hospital after being rescued from a river bank. He was trapped 30 metres down a bank of the River Esk, near High Street, Dalkeith, Midlothian, about 2.20am yesterday. Four fire crews used a line and a stretcher to winch the man up the bank and he was treated by paramedics before being taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.