Saint Brian help the pope...

Stagecoach, the Perth-based bus and rail giant, has struck a lucrative deal with the Catholic Church over transport for the Papal visit to Glasgow next month, The Herald has learned.

The company declined to reveal the value of the deal, although a spokeswoman yesterday confirmed Stagecoach will be the lead contractor and will organise the event transport operationally.

The Scottish Catholic Media Office did not return calls for comment.

Pope Benedict XVI will visit Scotland on September 16 and will celebrate an open-air Mass at Bellahouston Park, marking the first Papal appearance in Scotland since Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1982.

Asked about Stagecoach’s involvement in the event, Brian Souter, the company’s chief executive, told The Herald: “We are delighted about being part of this very prestigious event, and we’re very happy to have been asked to do it.

“Of course, we won’t be able to do it all by ourselves. We will need the help of other transport companies.”

The spokeswoman for Stagecoach said it expected to transport about 65,000 people in total to and from Bellahouston Park – around 50,000 by bus and the remaining 15,000 by rail.

“This will involve between 600 and 700 buses,” she said.

“We are still in the process of doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work on the transport for the Papal visit to Glasgow on September 16, so at this stage I can’t provide much information on the final detailed arrangements that will be in place.

“Although we are organising the event (transport) operationally, we also require assistance from other bus and rail operators across the country who are providing vehicles, drivers and extra capacity on the day.”

She added: “As one of the country’s largest public transport operators, we were asked to submit a proposal to the Catholic Church outlining our operational plan for the day and associated costs.

“This proposal was accepted by the Church and we have since been working hard to ensure all necessary plans are in place.

“The cost of the contract is confidential.”

The Pope will arrive in Edinburgh on September 16, the feast of St Ninian –the saint who brought Christianity to Scotland – and will meet the Queen at Holyrood House before making his way to Glasgow.

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