Three arrested as suspicious object at Glasgow bus station sparks evacuations
Buchanan Bus Station remains closed
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Three men have been arrested after bomb squads were called to reports of a “potential suspicious item” at a Glasgow bus station.
Students and staff at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) were reportedly told to evacuate the campus after the discovery of the object at the nearby Buchanan Bus Station.
The bus station remains closed as a bomb disposal team continued their enquiries at the scene on Wednesday evening.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident at Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow, which was reported around 1.10pm today, Thursday, 20 November, 2024.
“EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) are at the scene and enquiries remain ongoing.”
The public were advised to avoid the area as Killermont Street in the city centre was closed to traffic and pedestrians, with diversions in place.
Public transport company SPT, which operates the station, apologised to passengers as it announced the closure of the station as police dealt with the incident.
In a later statement shared on social media, a spokesperson said: “Buchanan Bus Station and surrounding area remains closed due to the ongoing police incident. Please do not come to the bus station.
“For info on the impact on specific bus services please check with the relevant bus operator. Expect disruptions. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
Following the bus station’s closure, students received a notification seen by local media urging them to evacuate the GCU campus “immediately as a precaution”.
A spokesperson for GCU later said: “Following direction from Police Scotland relating to the incident at Buchannan Bus Station, we evacuated our campus as a precaution this afternoon.
“We will be providing further updates to our staff and students in due course.”
A number of businesses in the area have also been affected. The Royal Concert Hall’s planned An Audience With Celtic Legends event was cancelled.
On X, a spokesperson for the venue said: “An Audience With Celtic Legends – Wednesday 20 November. Due to circumstances beyond our control, this evening’s event has been cancelled.
“All ticket holders will be contacted in due course. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”
A number of transport services experienced disruption as a result of the incident, with bus operator Stagecoach’s Ayr-Glasgow X77 service, which terminates at Buchanan Bus Station, now terminating in Hope Street in Glasgow.
Railway operator ScotRail has experienced similar issues, having shut down Glasgow Queen Street’s high level station until it is deemed safe to reopen at 9:30pm.