35,000 seats at Pope's mass go unfilled

• A workman puts finishing touches to the giant stage at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, where Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate mass tomorrow Pic: Getty

The figure falls far short of the 100,000 pilgrims it was originally hoped would flock to see Pope Benedict XVI at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.

The Catholic Church denied that the controversy over the Pope's handling of the Church's child abuse scandal has undermined his imminent arrival.

But critics of the visit claimed the figures revealed the extent of indifference towards the first visit by a Pope to Scotland for 28 years.

The Catholic Church says more than 250,000 attended the mass in Bellahouston Park when Pope John Paul II visited in 1982.

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Assistant Chief Constable Fiona Taylor, of Strathclyde Police, the force's strategic commander for the event, said: "We estimate there will be 65,000 people at Bellahouston Park. It is the last day for the uptake of pilgrim tickets."

The Catholic Church did not dispute the figure but was unable to provide its own total. Church officials admitted last week they only expected 75,000 tickets to be taken up for the open air Mass.

However, as recently as Monday, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the Church's Scottish leader, was still talking in terms of a 100,000 turnout. The Catholic church claims up to 850,000 members in Scotland.

There are also likely to be fewer people than expected attending other key events during the Pope's UK visit, with some 54,000 people now due at the beatification ceremony for Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham on Sunday, compared with the previously anticipated 65,000.

The event will bring the 19th-century clergyman one step closer to becoming England's first non-martyred saint since before the Reformation.

Former prime minister and Catholic convert Tony Blair yesterday gave his support to the campaign.

In a front-page editorial in the Vatican's official newspaper, Mr Blair wrote: "In England there have been very few saints in recent times, at least one recognised by the Church. That's why English Catholics are delighted by the beatification of John Henry Newman."

The Humanist Society of Scotland said the latest Bellahouston figure reflected indifference to the Pope's visit.

Tim Maguire, a celebrant, said: "People are voting with their feet. The Pope and the UK government are out of step with the way people live their lives. More than 80 per cent of Scots do not approve of the state visit or what the Pope has to say."

However, the Catholic Church said school pupils not being given a day off to attend had reduced the potential numbers.

Spokesman Peter Kearney also said people could now record the service on TV or watch it online, rather than having to take the day off work to watch it, as they had to in 1982.

He added: "The second time the Pope comes to your country is unlikely to generate the same level of involvement as the first."

Mr Kearney denied that the controversy over Pope Benedict's handling of the church's child abuse scandal had had an effect. He said: "The controversy is not a factor. People interested in attending have an affinity with the Papacy itself."

Meanwhile, police said they would be on "absolute maximum vigilance" for any "fixated individuals" who could threaten the Pope.

Lothian and Borders Police said there was "no specific intelligence of an overt threat" but some officers would be deployed on rooftops and information was being shared with Strathclyde.

The Pope will travel into and out of Edinburgh by car, while the Popemobile he will use for the 3.5-mile route between the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Morningside will not be open-topped.

Up to 100 protesters are expected in Edinburgh and a similar number at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.

They include the Orange Order and the Atheist Society in Edinburgh, and a Catholic and a Presbyterian group in Glasgow.

In Edinburgh, protesters have been asked to stand in Lothian Road, keeping them away from children involved with the St Ninian's Day parade in Princes Street. However, the Rev Ian Paisley is planning to lead a 70-strong protest by the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster at the Magdalen Chapel in Cowgate, where John Knox preached.

Police said they had not been contacted by the group, but officers would now contact them.

The 16th-century almshouse chapel is the only one in Scotland to retain its pre-Reformation stained glass.

A protesters' area will also be established at the south-west corner of Bellahouston Park, on Mosspark Boulevard at Bellahouston Drive.

Police said security would be "proportionate" to a state visit to Scotland that also involved the Queen, with the operation having been planned for six months. Strathclyde Police expects to deploy 1,000 officers, one in eight of the force, and Lothian and Borders 600, or one in four. The number of armed officers on duty has not been disclosed.

The Metropolitan Police will be responsible for close protection of the Pope and Royal Family, since they are classed as "protected persons". They will work with unarmed Vatican security officers drawn from the Swiss Guard.

Police chiefs hope the Scottish Government will foot the expected policing cost of more than 1 million after ministers requested estimates for the visit. However, the Home Office is not covering policing costs in England.

Police are anxious to minimise traffic disruption during the visit, with roads likely to be closed for only a few minutes while the Pope is driven from Edinburgh airport to the Palace of Holyroodhouse at about 10:30am-11am, and from Edinburgh to Glasgow at about 4pm-5pm. However, Princes Street in Edinburgh and other roads in the city centre will be closed for much of the day.

There will be rolling closures of slip roads onto the Edinburgh city bypass and M8, but police declined to say how much space they will leave between the Pope and other traffic.

Other security measures include closing some 60 bridges over the M8 and other roads to pedestrians to prevent people draping banners, throwing missiles at the convoy or threatening to throw themselves off.

In addition, parking will be banned on hundreds of streets in Edinburgh and Glasgow, while a two-mile stretch of the M77 northbound will be shut in Glasgow to become a coach park for the Bellahouston Mass.

Assistant Chief Constable Taylor said: "There is no question there will be some additional congestion around the convoy and we would urge people to use an alternative route."

In Glasgow, extra police will be deployed around Bellahouston Park after the Mass ends at about 7:15pm to help pilgrims return to their coaches or reach train and subway stations.

Police are concerned there will be many older pilgrims who may suffer fatigue and disorientation after the event, especially as darkness falls.

Ms Taylor said: "We are very conscious of this. Most people will have had a long day and not be familiar with the area. Significant numbers of police officers will assist stewards to point people in the right direction."

Chief Superintendent Ellie Bird, British Transport Police's Scotland area commander, added: "People leaving Bellahouston Park is my greatest concern since some of them will have to walk more than a mile to a station.

"The euphoria and adrenaline of the event might make them disorientated."

British Transport Police has also organised special fast- response units to minimise rail disruption caused by suspicious packages on trains at stations, since incidents are likely to increase among pilgrims losing luggage.

A total of 150 officers and support staff are involved in the Papal visit – nearly half the force in Scotland – with around 12 drafted in from south of the Border.