'It nearly hit a bus' - Van chased by police 'wrong way' round Edinburgh roundabout and down opposite side of dual carriageway

Car driver Stuart Fielding was travelling south on Saughton Road, heading for Longstone Road, and was forced to brake suddenly on the roundabout as the red van, thought to be a Ford Transit, raced past him just a couple of metres away.

The 55-year-old, who works as a HGV driver, said it was being followed by three or four police cars, including an unmarked vehicle.

He said: “The Transit van came round the roundabout the wrong way and cut across the front of me and a police car came past him, and then they went down the opposite carriageway on Calder Road, heading towards town. The van almost hit a bus coming down there. The bus had to brake suddenly.”

Mr Fielding said the van was being driven at a “fairly high speed” at the time of the incident, shortly after 10am on Monday.

He continued: “It was quite scary when I first saw the van, as I thought 'what’s going on?’ and they were maybe a couple of metres away from me and then police cars came past.”

Inspector Roger Park, of Edinburgh City Road Policing, said a 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Insp Park said: "Officers were carrying out standard vehicle checks on Calder Road, Edinburgh around 10.10am on Monday, 4 May, 2020 when a red Ford Transit van failed to stop for their signal.

"This resulted in a pursuit through various parts of Edinburgh before the van was brought to a tactical stop on Holyrood Park Road. A 20-year-old man was arrested. Nobody was injured. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal."

Other police chase reports

Several other witnesses reported seeing a van being driven down the wrong side of the A71 Calder Road this morning.

And there were several more reports of police pursuing a red van in the north of Edinburgh.

One eye-witness said they saw about eight police cars – including two unmarked vehicles – plus three vans travelling along Ferry Road towards Leith at about 10:30am.

Others reported seeing a red van being pursued along other streets including Pilrig Street, Leith Walk and Easter Road.