Police car escort training ahead of world leaders arriving for COP26

Police officers have been taking part in a training exercise in Glasgow ahead of world leaders arriving in the city for COP26.

Locals were left wondering if a VIP had arrived early for the climate conference after cars with a high security detail and police escort were spotted driving into the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) on Friday morning.

But Police Scotland has confirmed that the scene, filmed at the Clyde Arc bridge just after 9am, was part of their preparations for high profile arrivals including US President Joe Biden, the Pope and the Queen.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers are carrying out training in Glasgow as part of the detailed planning under way for COP26.

“COP26 is a significant operation and will involve one of the biggest mobilisation of police assets the UK has ever seen. Every effort is made to minimise disruption to the public as part of training activity.”

COP26 will begin at the SEC on October 31 and run until November 14 and the scale of the event in Glasgow is unprecedented in the UK.

Around 10,000 police officers per day will be deployed, mostly from Police Scotland with support from other forces across the UK.

Glasgow is set to see “extreme” traffic disruption as a large area of the city centre is to be locked down during the conference.

Routes around the SEC will be closed on the lead-up to the conference as well as during, between and after.

As well as pressure from road users, up to 100,000 people are expected to take part in an activist march on November 6, with other “unofficial fringe activity” possible throughout the 12 days.