Further Glasgow Central exit to reopen as building demolition nears completion

The demolition of a fire-ravaged building on Union Street is set to be complete by the end of Friday with another exit at Glasgow Central to reopen.

The historic building was significantly damaged after a fire broke out at a ground-level vape shop on March 8, then spread to the landmark Union Corner building.

Glasgow Central Station’s high-level platform was partially reopened on Wednesday while work to demolish the building was carried out.

Officials previously said the station would not be able to completely reopen until the facade had been fully demolished.

Glasgow City Council has now confirmed that the work is expected to be complete by the end of Friday.

The safety cordon will not be reduced until rubble has been removed from the site.

On Sunday, the exit on to Hope Street will reopen, operating as a route out of the Glasgow Central Station online.

The low-level entrances and Hope Street carriage driveway reopened on Wednesday, though the station’s Gordon Street and Union Street entrances remain shut.

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “The remainder of the façade should be complete by end of today. There will be no reduction of the cordon at this time, as the next phase will be the removal of the rubble on site, and large vehicles will still be in the area; therefore, the safety cordon will remain in place for public safety and access.

“Now that the dangerous building structures’ demolition is near completion, work on site will now be carried out from tomorrow onwards, 7am – 7pm daily until the site is cleared.

“The 24hr working was in place to carry out the demolition as safely and quickly as possible.

“Security – backed up by police colleagues – will be in place around the cordon over the weekend, and we would like to remind the public to follow instructions around the cordon for their safety.

“Please keep following Network Rail and train operators for updates to Central Station and travel timetables.”

The Hope Street exit of Glasgow Central will reopen from Sunday. Network Rail via Supplied

Network Rail also confirmed it will reopen the upper Hope Street exit of Glasgow Central from Sunday, as a means of allowing passengers to safely leave the station.

A temporary layout has been in place since the fire, and an exclusion zone has been established across the main concourse, closing off the usual entry and exit points while demolition work takes place.

The route out to Hope Street will reopen and operate as an exit only until further notice, while the Gordon Street and Union Street entrances remain closed.

Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail, said: “The station has been operating very differently this week, and I want to thank everyone for the patience and understanding they’ve shown.

“Railway staff have been working hard to guide people safely through the temporary arrangements, and passengers have been incredibly cooperative.

“Our retailers have also shown real patience throughout this disruption, and we’re working closely with them to help manage their stores as access improves.

“We continue to work closely with the Council and train operators as we deal with the aftermath of this incident. Reopening the Hope Street exit is a positive step forward, but there’s still vital work underway. We’re asking passengers to keep bearing with us while these safety measures are in place.”

Council leader Susan Aitken added: “I’m really grateful to the council teams and contractors who have worked around the clock with colleagues at Network Rail to make this possible.

“Public safety must remain our first priority; but we are all acutely aware of how many people, in Glasgow and right across the country, depend on Central Station day-to-day and everyone involved is working towards that goal.”