EMERGENCY EXIT; City draw up first evacuation plan.

Byline: Tom Hamilton

A DISASTER plan to evacuate Glasgow in an emergency has been drawn up.

The scheme to abandon the country's biggest city centre - used by 400,000 every day - has been produced by the council, along with emergency and transport services.

Evacuation will be ordered in the case of catastrophes, including terror attacks, bomb threats, chemical spills, gas leaks, fires or severe weather.

Packs

The public would be warned by media broadcasts and communications networks in the city centre.

These include PA systems in shops and malls and sound systems linked to bus and rail services.

Once a building has been cleared, "Evacuated and Secure" notices would be posted outside.

Information packs are being sent to businesses and city centre residents.

Under the plan, the city centre has been split into 22 areas with each street having a designated assembly point outwith the evacuation zone.

And the city's priority alert scheme gives police instant contact with people in the centre registered to receive text messages or emails.

Several English cities have evacuation plans but this is the first in Scotland. Glasgow City Council chief executive George Black said: "We have already received interest from other cities and towns wishing to use our plan as a template."

CAPTION(S):

GREAT ESCAPE: The action plan map of evacuation zones and, left, a secure notice