Drivers fuming after Ingliston park and ride causes airport gridlock

Hundreds of cars were brought to a standstill this afternoon as daytrippers returned on coaches to Ingliston after watching the Queen officially open the new bridge.

Passengers were delayed coming to and from Edinburgh Airport while shoppers at the Gyle were also stuck in traffic.

One 62-year-old taxi driver caught in the gridlock on Monday afternoon slammed the decision to use Ingliston for the Queensferry Crossing park and ride.

“We’re at standstill,” he fumed. “Nobody is coming in and nobody is getting out.

“There are hundreds of cars here - probably about a thousand. There are private hires, ordinary public cars and taxis.

“The whole area is gridlock. It was really busy this morning but nothing like this now as people come back from the crossing - it’s been chaos from about 3pm.

“They’ve come back to Ingliston but can’t get out of the car park. Whoever chose to put the crossing park and ride here, in one of the busiest parts of the city, is a clown.

“There’s only one road in and one road out. There are 40 taxis not moving and 40 private hires not moving - all losing business.”

The driver reported long queues of passengers waiting for pick-up at Edinburgh Airport, as well as a knock-on effect to the Gyle.

“Fares in the queues are getting irate. There’s people coming back from holiday and people been shopping,” he added.

Other drivers took to social media as tempers frayed. Andrew Niven tweeted: “No traffic management at all in Ingliston #shambles.”

The park and ride was organised by Queensferry Crossing event organisers Transport Scotland on Royal Highland Show land.

More than 4,000 people were bused in to a special concert to mark the occasion, featuring stars KT Tunstall and King Creosote.

It followed the Queen cutting a ribbon on the south side of the bridge and unveiling a plaque at the north end.

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, flew over the bridge to mark the opening, while a flotilla of more than 90 small boats sailed across the Forth nearby.

Edinburgh Airport bosses said passengers had been pre-warned about potential extra delays as a consequence of the event.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “The opening of an iconic structure like the Queensferry Crossing was always going to attract a lot of attention – even more so with Her Majesty the Queen performing the official opening.

“We worked closely with the police and transport partners to inform passengers of potential delays and allow them to plan ahead whether arriving at or departing from the airport.”

No one from Transport Scotland was available for comment.