Mass disruption warning on Pope day

DRIVERS face widespread chaos across central Scotland during Pope Benedict XVI's visit in two weeks' time.

• Pope Benedict XVI Picture: Getty

More than 200 roads will be closed or have parking restricted in Edinburgh and Glasgow as part of the one-day tour, with rolling closures of sections of the M8 as the papal motorcade makes its way west during the evening rush hour.

An expected 100,000 people will turn out to see the Popemobile travel through Edinburgh, with a further 85,000 anticipated for a Mass at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.

Some main routes will be shut on the morning of the visit on Thursday, 16 September, to enable the Pope to travel from Edinburgh Airport, where he arrives, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

More closures will follow at lunchtime when he travels via Princes Street and Lothian Road to have lunch with Cardinal Keith O'Brien in Morningside.

• How Edinburgh's roads will be affected by the Pope's visit

• How Glasgow's roads will be affected the Pope's visit

• The timetable for the Pope's visit to Scotland on Thursday 16 September

Another round of closures will coincide with the Pope's departure for Glasgow later in the afternoon, via the City bypass and M8. Police will shut slip roads on to the westbound carriageway of the roads as the Pope passes.

However, the High Street and Johnston Terrace in Edinburgh will be reopened to all traffic to help ease congestion.

In Glasgow, parking restrictions around Bellahouston Park will be introduced from Tuesday, 14 September, with roads closed from the following day.

A two-mile stretch of the northbound carriageway of the M77 will be shut after the rush hour on 16 September to become a car park for 400 coaches - some of which are being drafted in from England.

The coaches are being co-ordinated by transport firm Stagecoach to bring some 55,000 pilgrims from 160 locations from as far away as Shetland. A further 300 buses will shuttle pilgrims to specially created drop-off points on Dumbreck Road and at the Albion car park at Ibrox.

Others will travel via rail, with extra carriages being added to trains on routes into Glasgow, queuing systems at stations and services on the Glasgow Subway to Ibrox being stepped up to maximum frequency.

A special rail shuttle for pilgrims only will operate between Glasgow Central and Dumbreck, with normal services on that line to Paisley Canal cancelled.

Other pilgrims will arrive on trains from the south west at Cardonald station.

Jim Barton, chief roads engineer at Transport Scotland, said: "Delays should be expected, so we urge people to plan their daily journey in advance, leaving more time than usual and considering public transport alternatives where possible.

"This includes commuters and other people going about their normal business and particularly those using the M77 northbound to reach Glasgow."

A ScotRail spokesman said: "We are doing everything possible on the day and will also have extra staff on hand to provide customer assistance."

• For travel information see: www.transportscotland.gov.uk/papal-visit