Petition over new prison name row

HMP Bishopbriggs is the "working title" for the town's new prison

Almost 200 people have signed an online petition protesting against plans to name a new high-security prison after a town in East Dunbartonshire.

The facility is being built on the site of the former Low Moss prison in Bishopbriggs and is scheduled to be finished in 2011.

The Scottish Prison Service confirmed HMP Bishopbriggs is the working title for the new jail.

But some local people do not want it named after their town.

The petition, on the Number 10 government site, was started by Donald Macdonald.

On the site, he states: "Low Moss Prison is well known, however, it is not directly associated with the town of Bishopbriggs.

"Renaming the prison would have a detrimental effect upon our town."

The petition has also been signed by Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson and Labour MSP David Whitton, as well as Labour councillors in East Dunbartonshire, Una Walker and Stewart MacDonald.