COMMUTERS in East Renfrewshire are being urged to plan ahead when travelling to Glasgow in the run-up to and during the COP26 climate change summit, as severe transport congestion is expected.

With an estimated 18,000 people from the local area making their way to the city each day, a public awareness campaign has been launched to help them get ready for travel disruption.

The conference takes place at the SEC campus from Sunday, October 31, until Friday, November 12, but road closures will start to take effect from Saturday, October 23.

Tens of thousands of conference delegates are expected to attend COP26, which will lead to major congestion, with organisers also stressing that a number of planned and unplanned protests by climate activists are "inevitable."

Nicola Blaney, head of events resilience at Transport Scotland, said: “The scale of COP26 is unprecedented in terms of the impact it will have on our transport networks.

"We know that Hallowe'en weekend, Monday, November 1, Tuesday, November 2, and Saturday, November 6, will all be particularly busy and commuters should expect severe delays.

“This is due to a combination of road closures around the SEC, including the Clydeside Expressway, which will be closed from Saturday, October 23, until Sunday, November 14, and the additional demand on the network from those attending the conference.

“We’d urge everyone to stay informed and plan ahead to make the right journeys at the right times.”

Transport Minister Graeme Dey added: “The most up-to-date information, including a detailed travel plan, maps, road closures and dates for community and business engagement sessions, is readily available.

“I would again urge commuters, businesses and the public to take some time to familiarise themselves with the plans so that we can all work together to help deliver a successful event."

For more information, visit www.getreadyglasgow.com.