GET READY GLASGOW: As city gears up for COP26

The virtual event is being organised as part of the Get Ready Glasgow campaign developed by Glasgow City Council in partnership with event organisers - the UK Government, and with Police Scotland and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.

As host city of this potentially historic climate change summit, it gives Glasgow a unique opportunity to raise its profile globally as a sustainable city, attract investment to key sectors and promote itself as a visitor destination.

Get Ready Glasgow is the campaign for all the communication and engagement work being carried out to keep the city moving and open for business in the lead up to and during the COP26 conference.

It will also be used to make sure the city is prepared to welcome visitors and that citizens feel confident and reassured about Glasgow hosting a covid-safe event.

The event comes as details of the impact of the conference on this city's road network around the main venue, the SEC, and river restrictions are announced. These measures are needed to facilitate the safe delivery of the event and maintain the safety and security of participants, citizens and visitors:
 

·       Closure of the Clydeside Expressway from Partick Interchange to North Street

·       Closure of Finnieston Street from Lancefield Quay to West Greenhill Place. With local access maintained

·       Closure of Lancefield Quay from Elliot Street to Finnieston Street - except for service buses

·       Closure of the Clyde Arc - except for service buses

·       Closure of Stobcross Road from Partick Interchange to Finnieston Street

·       Minerva Street - Local Access Only between Minerva Way and West Greenhill Place

·       West Greenhill Place - Local Access Only

Exact dates on the period of road closures and when they will come into effect are still to be confirmed, but will be widely communicated in the coming months.

Diversion routes will be in place around the SEC to keep traffic moving and, as with previous city events, Local Area Traffic Management Plans (LATMPs) are being developed to keep traffic moving for road users.

Active travel routes are still being refined however, pedestrian and cycle access will be maintained on Finnieston Street, Lancefield Quay and Clyde Arc at all times as will routes for emergency services.

The River Clyde will be closed to private and commercial vessels ahead of and during COP26. It is proposed that a safety zone is established from the first tidal weir at Glasgow Green to a position just east of King George V Docks. This stretch of the river will not be able to host vessels or water-based activities around the summit site.

To keep the city moving and open for business, people will be advised to prepare journeys in advance, but with built in flexibility in case of unexpected disruption.

Businesses and residents directly affected by closures and LATMPs will receive specific communications to advise and support them to deal with the likely impact they may experience during specified periods, and the measures that will be put in place to minimise disruption.

When available, more detailed information and maps will be put on the Get Ready Glasgow website www.getreadyglasgow.com to help prepare for COP26 and plan ahead. People can register on the site for email updates and newsletters as well as make specific inquiries.

The campaign also includes further engagement sessions in the lead up to COP26 and the development of a business ready guide, due to be published late June.

In addition, a Get Ready Glasgow telephone inquiry line will be operational after the summer to assist those without easy internet access.

The Get Ready Glasgow website will also provide information about plans to deliver a covid-safe event based on the most up-to-date public health expertise and guidance, and what measures will be put in place to protect citizens and the participants in COP26.

Ros Eales, Chief Operating Officer, COP26 Unit said: "COP26, is an exciting and historic moment for the city. The Conference will be an inclusive event, bringing together world leaders, delegates, academics, businesses, civil society groups and activists from over the world to inspire climate change action.

"Support from businesses in the city and the people of Glasgow is crucial to making this Conference a success and we thank you, as well as other businesses and communities of Glasgow, for your support so far and look forward to continuing to work with you this year."

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "The purpose of Get Ready Glasgow is to ensure that business and residents have the information they need to go about their daily lives while COP26 is running.

"Planning teams concentrating on city operations have been established to manage the impact of COP26 on the city; and what impact the events will have on the services that the council provides to businesses and residents in their day-to-day lives.

"If we start to talk about some of the things that may change in the lead up to and during the COP26 now, people, particularly businesses, can begin to think about how they may need to adapt their operations, particularly on the days where the city may be busier than usual, due to the main COP programme or side events.

"COP26 will change the way the city runs for a period of time in November but we will make sure that everyone is well informed and when the time comes people can feel proud at Glasgow having played its part in the success of such a globally significant event."

Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins, Police Scotland, said: "Planning for COP26 has been underway for over a year and we have been working closely with partners including the United Nations, UK Government and Glasgow City Council to prepare for what will be one of the most high profile and significant security and policing events ever held in the United Kingdom. 

"COP presents some unique policing challenges but Police Scotland is well prepared for any eventuality.  Our main focus will be on the delivery of a safe and secure event and also managing likely activist activity, while keeping the city, and indeed the country, operational and moving. 

"Police Scotland is proud to be one of the partners of the Get Ready Glasgow campaign and will do its part to support local residents, businesses and visitors to the city to plan ahead and stay safe, and to help minimise the impact these temporary changes may have."

Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "Few events in Glasgow's history can match the significance of the city's hosting of COP26. It is an opportunity to show just how much our city can contribute both to solving climate change and to laying the foundations for our next phase of economic growth. There will be a significant and positive long-term impact of Glasgow being at the centre of the solutions.

"It is vitally important that plans are made and implemented to handle the event and its impact on the day-to-day running of the city, and Glasgow Chamber is ready and willing to support these plans in our role as the mechanism to engage with the business community.

Maps showing the high level restrictions can be downloaded from dropbox here and are avaialble on getreadyglasgow.com

The UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 1 - 12 November 2021.

The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The UK is committed to working with all countries and joining forces with civil society, companies and people on the frontline of climate change to inspire climate action ahead of COP26.

More information at https://ukcop26.org