Ibrox Stadium

THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL (IBROX STADIUM) (EVENT DAY EMERGENCY ROUTES AND PARKING ZONE) ORDER 20__

The Council proposes to make the above order. The content of the order and associated maps are set out within the documents opposite, together with committee reports which provide the policy context for the order

Following the notification and publication of the draft order, as required under the Traffic Orders Regulations 1999, representations have been received which the council intends to be the subject of a public hearing. Two Scottish Government reporters (Sinéad Lynch and Lance R Guilford) have been appointed to conduct the hearing and report to the Council. A programme officer team has also been appointed to assist the reporters by providing administrative support. A business meeting has been held between the programme officer team and the reporters, a note of which opposite sets out the remit of the reporters and the process involved.

The number and nature of the representations is set out in the report opposite entitled "Approval under the Council's Scheme of Delegated Functions". The representations themselves are set out in the drop down menus below. However, since it would be a lengthy and difficult task to read through and assess all of the representations lodged, the reporters have already reviewed the representations, and have provided a summary and schedule of the representations opposite. The schedule will be continually updated as the hearing process progresses.

Owing to the number and complexity of the matters raised in the representations, the reporters decided that a pre-hearing meeting should be held, in order to discuss and agree the format of the hearing and the procedures required, with those parties who have stated their intention to participate in the hearing. Letters sent out with respect to this, and an agenda and explanatory note for the pre-hearing meeting, are also provided opposite.

The pre-hearing meeting was held on the 11 March 2020, and the finalised note of the matters agreed at and arising from the meeting is now shown opposite. This takes into account all of the comments which were received from parties on the content of the draft note. The changes from the draft note (apart from any minor typographical changes) are temporarily shown in blue text, so that these can be readily identified. An explanatory note, which also refers to the THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL (CELTIC PARK AND EMIRATES ARENA) (EVENT DAY EMERGENCY ROUTES AND PARKING ZONE) ORDER 201_, is provided opposite in order to set out the reasoning for the changes and how they relate to both orders being examined by the reporters.

The date of the hearing, together with a programme of dates for the submission of statements and documents before the hearing, will be shown on this page once these dates have been determined. Notification of the date of the hearing will be given in the Evening Times. All statements and documents related to the hearing will be uploaded to this page before the hearing takes place.

As a result of the effect of the Covid 19 pandemic, the hearing process was suspended, initially for two periods of one month, followed by two periods of 6 months at the request of the council and after consultation with other parties. During this time a number of position statements were provided by the reporters, and these are shown opposite together with related correspondence and submissions.

Particular attention is drawn to the reporters' statement of 7 January 2021, which addresses a legal submission on behalf of Celtic Football Club and a best-case scenario timeline for the hearing process as envisaged at that time. Subsequent statements are 12 March 2021 (on the suspension of the hearing process to the end of August 2021), 31 May 2021 (revised best case scenario timeline), 30 June 2021 (further revised timeline) and 12 August 2021 (responses to revised timeline).

Glasgow City Council Statement of Case

The council has submitted an "outline statement of case" dated 31 January 2022 for the hearing into the above order. Appendix 1 includes proposed modifications to the schedules of the draft order. Appendix 2 provides an inventory of the supporting documents. The statement is included in the folder below, accompanied by the supporting documents, which also include amended plans relating to the order, which have been submitted by the council, in addition to the documents listed in Appendix 2.

An email sent to parties intending to participate in the hearing and a separate email to the council are shown opposite. The reporters have specifically requested views from those expected to submit statements on the time required for this, and will take into account all responses received before publishing the date for others' statements.

In addition to those parties submitting statements, any further written submissions by those who have already made representations (whether participating in the hearing or not) should be made by the date for others' statements.

Hearing and report to the council - timeline and process

Following the consultation period ending on 10 March 2022, the reporters have now prepared a further statement on the timeline and process for the hearing and report to the council. Please note that this statement relates to both this order and THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL (CELTIC PARK AND EMIRATES ARENA) (EVENT DAY EMERGENCY ROUTES AND PARKING ZONE) ORDER 20__.

The statement is shown opposite, and sets out the reporters' conclusions on the matters raised in the responses to the recent consultation, and determines the period for the submission of the remaining statements of case and further written submissions, together with a subsequent period which has been set aside for hearing preparation and the submission of any further material. The remaining statements of case (and any further written submissions by those who are not submitting formal statements of case) should be submitted by 13 May 2022. The reporters then identify matters relating to the hearing and site inspections, including the date for the hearing and how it is being managed. The intention is to hold the hearing between 13 June 2022 and 1 July 2022. An agenda will be prepared by the reporters setting out when individual sessions of the hearing will be held.

There however remain significant difficulties relating to the site inspections which are explained by the reporters. The reporters have set out the overall timeline which would have to be met for their report to be submitted in time for the council to decide whether or not to make the orders by the ultimate legislative deadline. The council has indicated that the report would have to be submitted by 8 September 2022 for this. The reporters have concluded, for the reasons set out, that it is highly unlikely that their report could be submitted by this date.

The reporters have therefore asked the council to confirm (or otherwise) that it wishes to proceed with the hearing as described in the statement. In the meantime parties are asked to continue to work in accordance with the timeline and process set out in the statement.

Provisional arrangements have now been made for the booking of the Strathclyde Suite of the Royal Concert Hall between 13 June and 1 July 2022. It is intended that an outline daily programme for all hearing sessions will be prepared for publication when the formal statutory notice of the hearing is issued/published. This will be further developed through an appropriate agenda for each hearing session at least 7 days before the session takes place. An email has been sent to the council on this matter. A further email has been sent to parties who have stated an intention to participate in the hearing, requesting further information with respect their participation. The text of these emails is shown opposite.

Proposed traffic regulation order withdrawn

The council no longer intends to proceed with the hearing and proposed traffic regulation order for the reasons set out in an email dated 10 May 2022 which is shown opposite. The reporters therefore consider that the proposed order has been withdrawn, and that their appointment to hold the hearing and submit a report to the council has been terminated. The management of this webpage will now revert to the council. The arrangements for the hearing have been cancelled. The email from the council indicates that the council will now seek to work with those affected by the parking and traffic management issues and all other interested parties to attempt to resolve those issues.