Residents object to prison's name

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

Residents who object to the proposed name for a new prison are to meet to discuss ways of fighting the plans.

The new jail is being built on the site of the former Low Moss prison in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, and is scheduled to be finished in 2011.

The Scottish Prison Service confirmed HMP Bishopbriggs was the working title for the new 700-cell prison.

Almost 400 people have signed a petition objecting to the prison being identified with their town.

The petition, on the 10 Downing Street website, 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.

In a commons debate before Christmas, Ms Swinson said: "Understandably, the people of the town do not want the first thing that people think of when they hear the name Bishopbriggs to be a prison."

The Scottish Prison Service said a decision on the name could be some years away.