Travel for Celtic and Rangers matches expected to be disrupted as SPFL issues UCI cycling event advice

Football matches at the start of the season are expected to be disrupted by the UCI Cycling World Championship, the SPFL have warned, with Celtic and Rangers’ first league matches namechecked as events that will require additional travel time.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships take place in Scotland at the start of August.

The 2023 championships, taking place from August 3-13, is expected to see hundreds of thousands of spectators turn out to watch the event in the city. Football supporters across Glasgow and beyond have therefore been encouraged to plan their journey in advance for matches.

The SPFL has been advised the event will likely impact travel surrounding games in the city at the start of the league season, and that supporters should allow additional time for journeys to matches. Matches taking part in the cinch Premiership during the event include Celtic v Ross County at Celtic Park on August 5 and Rangers v Livingston at Ibrox on August 12, while Partick Thistle v Raith Rovers on August 5 and Queen’s Park v Arbroath on August 12 are also games in the cinch Championship that could be impacted.

The ScottishPower Women’s Premier League also kicks off on 13 August – the final day of the cycling event – and champions Glasgow City host Hibernian that day, while fans passing through Glasgow city centre on the way to a match elsewhere in Scotland in the SPFL or SWPL during the event may also face delays. A number of different cycling events are taking place across the day on August 5 at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow, as well as Glasgow Green and elsewhere in the city. Finals will also be taking place across Glasgow on August 12-13.

Calum Beattie, the SPFL’s chief operating officer, said: “I’m sure football fans across the country are very much looking forward to cheering on their team when the new league season kicks off on August 5. Public transport will be particularly busy in Glasgow city centre on our two opening weekends because of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, and we’d simply encourage anyone attending an SPFL or SWPL match to allow extra time for travel so that they can make their game in plenty of time.”

Valerie Davidson, SPT’s chief executive, said: “With football and the UCI Cycling World Championships occurring at the same time, the public transport network will be very busy. We want everyone – staff and customers – to remain safe, and get to their destination on time. That does mean planning ahead, and I am sure those travelling to games will factor in the additional time needed.”

British Transport Police chief superintendent in Scotland, Gillian Murray, said: “During this period, fans attending any of the Scottish Professional Football League games will notice a lot more police officers on trains and at stations, this is because we expect tens of thousands of more rail passengers due to the UCI Cycling World Championships. We will have specially trained uniform and plain clothed officers positioned strategically to make sure football fans, and cycling fans alike, move safely and efficiently across the rail network.”