COP26: Disruption forecast in Glasgow as busy roads close

Disruption is expected in Glasgow over the weekend as the first major road closures for COP26 take effect.

Routes including the Clyde Arc and part of the Clydeside Expressway closed on Saturday night while Finnieston Street will only allow local access on Sunday.

Rail strikes also look set to go ahead for the duration of the summit, following a breakdown in union talks.

The climate conference is expected to draw 25,000 delegates and runs from 31 October to 12 November.

Security is expected to be tight, particularly around the attendance of some 120 world leaders, and police have announced how they plan to approach disruptive climate activists.

Road closures will last until Monday 15 November.

Some days are expected to be busier than others, with the biggest disruption expected on Saturday 6 November which has been designated as the Global Day For Climate Justice.

About 100,000 protesters are expected in Glasgow, with a march which begins at Kelvingrove Park at noon before making its way to Glasgow Green for about 15:00.

People across the city can expect to be affected by delays, diversions or road congestion, from pedestrians and cyclists to drivers and those using public transport.

The RMT confirmed that strikes during COP26 would go ahead, with ScotRail workers planning action from 1-12 November amid an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.

The union's general secretary Mick Lynch said the decision to press on with industrial action was made on Friday after the train company "failed to get serious" in talks with the union.

He said ScotRail had missed "a golden opportunity" for progress by offering "nothing of any consequence".

Mr Lynch continued that there was still time to avoid "the chaos of a transport shutdown during COP26 if the key players get back with some serious proposals".

A Scottish government spokesperson welcomed that three out of four railway trade unions had now accepted, or recommended acceptance of, the pay offer.

That offer amounts to a 2.5% pay increase backdated to 1 April 2021, and a 2.2% increase effective from 1 April 2022, with a one-off £300 payment for staff working during COP26.

But the government said it was "disappointed" the offer was rejected by the RMT.

A spokesperson said after this, ScotRail sought to focus the issue of rest day working, which the RMT said needed to be addressed.

However, an offer on rest day working was "rejected out of hand" and the union returned to the issue of pay, according to the government.

It said: "We don't think anyone, including the membership of the RMT, wants to disrupt COP26 or the chance to showcase Scotland's green, clean railway to a global audience. We hope that encompasses the RMT leadership too, although their approach to seeking resolution does appear to call this into question."

Meanwhile, Ian McConnell, of ScotRail, said he was "incredibly frustrated" that the union had "point blank rejected" the latest proposal.

He accused the leadership of having "moved the goalposts without consulting their members".

Mr McConnell said time was running out to reach agreement, adding: "It seems RMT bosses are intent on sabotaging Scotland's railway's role during COP26."

Contingency plans were being developed to provide a core service for the duration of the summit, he said.

Appearing on BBC Radio Scotland, Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken urged people to plan ahead of travelling and check the Get Ready Glasgow website for more information.

Ms Aitken also said cleansing teams were out clearing up fly-tipping "hotspots" after the issue of mounting rubbish in the city was raised on Question Time.

About 1,500 Glasgow City Council staff including those in refuse collection and cleansing plan to strike for a week during the climate summit due to an ongoing pay dispute.

Union members rejected an £850-a-year increase for staff earning up to £25,000 a year, and are instead calling for a £2,000 pay rise for staff.

Concerns have also been raised about the impact the summit could have on Scotland's Covid cases.

Prof Devi Sridhar, of Edinburgh University, tweeted that a mass event such as COP26 "will cause an increase in cases" and could "trigger a need for further restrictions".

Jillian Evans, head of health intelligence for NHS Grampian, said the risk of infection during mass events was high even if safety precautions were in place.

She warned many of those attending would not be fully vaccinated.

Ms Evans added: "We've got a really fragile situation, the number of cases in Scotland have been plateauing - plateaued at higher levels than ever before."

"You're looking at numbers we probably haven't seen before, whether that leads to restrictions will depend on the scale of this. I would say the stakes are really high," she said.

The Scottish government has said appropriate mitigation measures will be in place for the summit and Covid-19 continues to be closely monitored.

The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.