Special travel and security plans will be "put in place" on Saturday when Scotland takes on England in their football World Cup qualifier, according to the BBC. Extra carriages are being added to "key train routes" and ScotRail Alliance warned services would be "very busy." British Transport Police said that "extra officers would be on duty." Alcohol bans will be in place on "many routes." The Scottish FA said that additional security, including bag and body searches, will be in place at the stadium. Queuing systems will be in place at key locations and fans are being advised to "leave plenty of time for their journey as they may not be able to board their first choice of train." Scotland fans will be directed to the Mount Florida station before and after the game, while England supporters will use King's Park (BBC, 6/6).
KICKOFF TIME: In London, Ian Herbert reported police chiefs are "dismayed" by UEFA's decision to stage Saturday's Scotland-England World Cup qualifier at a time which "will create the greatest risk of violence." Senior officers said that a 5pm kickoff at Hampden Park "allows too much drinking time on what is expected to be a warm afternoon." The scheduling, which is "attractive to broadcasters," will also "draw officers away from policing Glasgow city centre at their busiest time of the week amid the ongoing terror threat." Britain's "top football police officer," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Roberts, said that police "should be entitled to influence the timing of matches but were powerless to do so" (DAILY MAIL, 6/5).
