Low Moss

Low Moss opened in March 2012. This prison’s design capacity is 784 and it manages male prisoners on remand, short term prisoners (serving less than 4 years), long term prisoners (serving 4 years or more), life sentence prisoners and extended sentence prisoners (Order of Life Long Restriction) primarily from the North Strathclyde Community Justice Authority area.

The facilities include a link centre where offenders are able to deal with matters relating to employment, housing, social work, throughcare addiction services, etc. as well as facilities to help those in custody address their re-offending and support them to re-integrate back into the community on their release.

History-

The establishment replaced the dated prison accommodation that had previously occupied most of the site and had started out as a barrage balloon station at the beginning of the Second World War. After the war, RAF Bishopbriggs was used by the Royal Military Police as a training school.

In 1968 the site was converted into a temporary low security prison. The original Low Moss accommodated up to 327 prisoners in mainly dormitory accommodation much of which was in the form of wooden buildings. The prison was closed in May 2007. The buildings were subsequently demolished and the site cleared ready for a new prison to be built. Construction started on the site in February 2010.

If you need to contact the prison, here are some useful numbers - 

Main switch board   0141 762 9500

Family Contact Officer   0141 762 9557 (The phone is not staffed at all times during the day, but there is an answer machine service so please leave your name and contact details and we will get  back to you as soon as possible).

Agents Visits   0141 762 9699 (Opening Times: Monday to Friday 08:30 to 12:00 hours and 13:00 to 16:00 hours). Please do not leave a message. Messages will not be responded to.

If sending a letter to a prisoner put their name , prison number and location, followed by the postal address 

e.g.    123456 S Smith
           Clyde Level 1 Section D 23
           H M Prison Low Moss
           Crosshill Road
           Bishopbriggs
           Glasgow
           G64 2QB

If you are writing to your client, the Scottish Prison Service considers that it is necessary that you adopt the “double envelope” process as recommended by the Law Society. It is the experience of the Scottish Prison Service that adopting this process ensures that your client receives his or her correspondence unopened and assists in mitigating the abuse of the right to receive such correspondence in this way. If you require further information you can contact us as follows:

e-mail: 

tel: 0131 330 3500

By Car 

Bishopbriggs is connected to the M80 by Junction 2.The main road through Bishopbriggs is the A803 which connects Glasgow to Falkirk. Low Moss is situated on B819 (Crosshill Road) approximately 0.5 mile from Strathkelvin Business Park.

By Bus

Low Moss can be accessed by approximately a 35 minutes bus ride from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station, Service number 88. The stop is located outside the prison on Crosshill Road and a 2 minute walk from the prison entrance.

 

By Rail
 Low Moss can be accessed by train via the Glasgow/Edinburgh line. Bishopbriggs Rail Station is just a short bus ride away from Low Moss via First Glasgow 88. The stop is located outside the prison and a 2 minute walk from the prison entrance.

All visits are booked by the person in our care. Visits can be booked up to 4 weeks in advance.

No amendments will be made to visits out with a 48 hour period.

All visitors are required to arrive 15 minutes prior to the visit starting.  Any person who arrives after the visit has started will not be permitted entry.

For all visits to Low Moss, visitors are required to bring photographic ID and proof of address (dated within the past 3 months).  The only forms of photographic ID that will be accepted are:  

·         Valid Passport
·         Valid Photographic Driving Licence (full or provisional)
·         Citizen Card
·         Senior Citizens Bus Pass Travel Card (issued by Scottish Government)

The only forms of proof of address that will be accepted are:

·         Utility bill
·         Council tax bill
·         Benefit book
·         Bank statement
·         other letter from official source

All visitors will be photographed on their initial visit and the officers will check that visitors have pre-booked a visit for the appropriate time. Staff will ask visitors to deposit belongings, including handbags, in designated lockers in the atrium area. Visitors will be asked to remove outer clothing and this will be put through the x-ray machine (Outdoor jackets are not permitted in the prison). After walking through the metal detector visitors can then go through to the family and friends waiting area where they will be seated until it is time to move into the visit room.

Within the family and friends centre there are drink and snack vending machines. Items from these machines can only be consumed within the family and friends centre and cannot be taken through to the visit room.

There are vending machines located within the visits room where visitors will have the opportunity to buy food and drink.  A maximum amount of £20.00 can be taken into the visits room (coins only).   

Within the family and friends centre there are information boards on the walls providing information on support available to visitors and families.  There is also regular attendance from external organisations which specialise in supporting families of those imprisoned and we also have a Family Contact Officer who is available to speak with any visitors on request.

On moving into the visit room you will pass through the search area.  Officers will ask all visitor to consent to a rub down search by an officer of the same gender as the visitor. If a rub down search is refused then a closed visit will be offered. At times the SPS dog unit may conduct passive searches prior to entering into the visit room. It’s nothing to worry about as the dogs are well trained and friendly and you will be given clear guidance by the handler. If you have any concerns at all, please talk to a member of staff. Visitors will remain in the family & friends centre until they are called for their visit.

Should visitors have to leave the family and friends centre for any reason they will have to be processed as a new arrival if/when they wish to return.

Low Moss can facilitate those who may require wheelchair access or who have mobility difficulties. If you require additional assistance please do not hesitate to contact us prior to attending.

Official visits are facilitated by contacting 0141 762 9699 (Monday to Friday 08:30 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 16:00).  

There are a number of interview rooms, dedicated for Official/Legal visits.  Official visitors to prison should be in possession of photographic ID provided by their respective agencies.  Atrium staff will ask to see these to ensure they are satisfied of the person's identity.  The official visitor will be required to provide the following information:

• Name of visitor; 

• Agency being represented;

• Relationship to offender; and

• Name of offender to be visited

Agents are required to present their Law Society of Scotland ID Cards on arriving at the establishment.  Any agent who does not possess a valid Law Society of Scotland ID Card can be permitted entry into a visit providing they can produce an endorsed letter (official headed paper) from the firm they represent along with another form of photographic ID.  The only forms of photographic ID that will be accepted are:

·         Valid Passport
·         Valid Photographic Driving Licence (full or provisional)
·         Citizen Card
·         Senior Citizens Bus Pass Travel Card (issued by Scottish Government)

Once staff are satisfied that the correct identification and information has been given the visitor will be admitted to the visits suite.  The design of the official visits suite ensures that all such visits take place within sight of staff however, out with hearing distance.  This is to ensure the privacy of interviews taking place.

Information on legal visits by video link can be found below.

Click here for information on the Scottish Legal Aid Board web site for solicitors looking to register for and use video link technology to conduct meetings with their clients in custody.

Property for offenders can be handed in to the atrium providing you have the relevant pro forma that stipulates the date and time.  It is the person in custody's responsibility to inform their visitor what they can hand in and when.  Visitors will be issued with a receipt for the property.

The following items can be handed in without a pro-forma:

Socks, underwear, and prescription glasses.  Clothes and shoes for attendance at court or funeral 

Items can be handed in during the under noted times:  

You can post in property for offenders, however the individual must have completed the relevant pro forma prior to the items arriving.  Please address the parcel for the offender’s attention to the undernoted address (example below).  We recommend that any parcel is sent recorded delivery to ensure a tracked arrival (cost incurred at the post office).

e.g.    123456 S Smith
           Clyde Level 1 Section D 23
           H M Prison Low Moss
           Crosshill Road
           Bishopbriggs
           Glasgow
           G64 2QB

Posting in Money

You can post money in to an offender for their PPC, however we would strongly recommend using the online banking service instead. 

If you do wish to post cash, please use recorded/special delivery (costs incurred at the post office). Or you can post a cheque or postal order (again there is a cost incurred at the post office for the order) in.  Both of these should be made payable to the Scottish Prison Service, but please note the offenders details on the back of the order or cheque.

Please note we can no longer accept cash handed in to the establishment.