Bomb scare in city centre shuts down Buchanan Bus Station and GCU

Parts of Glasgow city centre were shut down last week following the discovery of a “potential suspicious item” at Buchanan Bus Station and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), on Wednesday 20th November.

The discovery led to significant disruption, including a full evacuation of nearby GCU, widespread transport delays, and business cancellations.

Around 1:10pm on Wednesday, 20th November, police received reports of a suspicious object at Buchanan Bus Station. In response, Police Scotland, along with an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team, quickly secured the area.

Killermont Street, between West Nile Street and North Hanover Street, was closed to both traffic and pedestrians, and the public was advised to avoid the area. The same closure applied to Cowcaddens Road, between Port Dundas Road and North Hanover Street.

A controlled explosion was later carried out at the scene, but nothing suspicious was found. Police Scotland confirmed that a large area of the city centre had been sealed off while the investigation continued. Police officers are understood to have recovered offensive weapons at the scene, but the incident is not currently being treated as terrorism, according to STV News. The Royal Navy bomb squad was also on the scene.

Shortly after 9:30pm on Wednesday, police revealed that a controlled explosion had been carried out at the bus station. However, nothing suspicious was found. It is understood that the incident is not being treated as a terror-related event, and an investigation is currently underway. Three men were arrested but were later released without charge.

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Buchanan Bus Station was officially closed at 1:50pm, creating significant disruption for commuters. Several buses were stationed on North Hanover Street near the Tesco, where they were swept and cleared for bombs and weapons. Stagecoach’s Ayr-Glasgow X77 service, which typically terminates at the bus station, was redirected to Hope Street, while other routes faced significant delays.

GCU, located just a short distance from the station, was also impacted. Staff and students were instructed to evacuate the campus “immediately as a precaution” following advice from the police. An email sent to students advised them to leave via Dobbie’s Loan or Milton Street, as Cowcaddens Road and North Hanover Street were closed due to the police cordon.

Lisa Brown, a first year social and public policy student at GCU, described the evacuation as “unnerving” but praised the university for its swift communication.

“We were in the middle of a lecture when the alarm sounded, and staff told us to leave immediately. It was chaotic at first, but I’m grateful the university acted quickly to ensure our safety,” she told The Glasgow Tab.

Karla Mihai, a second year computer science student at the University of Glasgow, was also affected by the situation. While walking back to her accommodation near GCU, she was stopped by police officers, who asked for her ID and proof of residence before escorting her past the cordoned area. “It was scary to see so many police officers and yellow tape,” she explained.

As emergency services continued their investigation, ScotRail also experienced disruption, with trains to and from Glasgow Queen Street High Level station suspended until 9:30pm. The station had been temporarily closed to ensure the safety of passengers and staff.

In addition to the transport disruption, businesses in the area were impacted. The Royal Concert Hall canceled its planned “An Audience With Celtic Legends” event, which had been scheduled for the evening. A spokesperson for the venue apologised and assured ticket holders they would be contacted in due course.

As the situation unfolded, GCU announced that classes would be suspended for the remainder of the day. The university was later reopened at approximately 10:20pm. It communicated that it hoped to resume normal academic activities by 7am on Thursday, 21st November, pending safety assessments.

“We evacuated our campus as a precaution this afternoon following direction from Police Scotland regarding the incident at Buchanan Bus Station. We will provide further updates to our staff and students in due course,” said a GCU spokesperson.

Featured image via YouTube