KAY JARDINE and DAVID STEELE
DAMAGE running into hundreds of thousands of pounds was caused yesterday when a burst water main turned one of Glasgow's busiest streets into a raging torrent.
Byres Road, one of the main shopping streets in the west end, ground to a halt at about 1.30pm when a 36in main fractured at its junction with Great Western Road.
Roads, shops and the Hillhead underground station were closed as police, fire crews, and the council roads department tried to bring the situation under control.
Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes and spent several hours with friends or relatives before returning to assess the damage and begin the mopping-up operation.
Officials of West of Scotland Water and insurance loss adjusters were on hand to assist and efforts were being made to ensure that shops would be able to trade as early as possible.
A spokeswoman for WoSW said last night that the flooding, which extended down to the junction with University Avenue, was caused by a 36in mains pipe burst. The water supply had been cut off "for a short while" before an alternative supply was set up, she said,
The exact cause of the burst pipe was not known but the spokeswoman said it was likely to be the age of the Victorian water pipe infrastructure.
She said: "It has had little investment over the last 50 years and we are investing in the network at the moment."
Josh Hardy, general manager of Antipasti restaurant on the flooded street, said the shops on the east side of the road had been badly hit.
He said: "We have got away with it. It has not flooded us because we have got quite a high pavement, but it has hit the library and the Halifax.
"It was a river - it was running right down the street. It was worse than the floods we had at Christmas time two years ago when the council hadn't been cleaning the drains."
Hillhead underground station in Byres Road was closed for several hours and sandbags were set up at the entrance to prevent the water going into the station. Services continued throughout the day and the station was reopened about 8pm.
Traffic in the area will be disrupted for several days while work continues to repair the burst main.
- Dec 7th