Road work update for week starting 27 February

A roundup of works underway or soon to start around Orkney, for the week starting Monday 27 February:

Scottish Water are currently working on the A960 at it junction with the B9052 (to St Andrews Primary School), and are progressing along towards Toab. Traffic will be controlled by traffic lights for the duration of the work.

Openreach have works underway on the main A965 through Finstown. The works take place in stages on the stretch between Old Finstown Road and The Pomona, with traffic lights in place. This will mean slight delays for all traffic including public buses. Works are expected to be underway until March.

In addition to the above Openreach also have works underway at two other locations on the A965 between Biggings Road, Holm, and Heathery Loan, work is also being carried out between the Harry Road (A986) junction and Maeshowe, with the work in both areas being controlled by temporary traffic lights when staff are working on site.

The collapsed culvert on the Harray Road (A986) is currently covered by steel plates while replacement options are being investigated. Further information will be provided in due course once replacement works are programmed.

Streetlighting and footway resurfacing is currently underway on Scapa Crescent and are programmed to continue until 5 April. The work will be carried out using a variety of traffic management which will include road closures at times.

Work on the retaining wall at the junction of Hammar Road and the A966 is completed. A temporary safety barrier is in place, and workers will be back on site later in March to install permanent safety fencing once those supplies arrive.

Works have started to repair sections of the Westside Road, Eday, with the work expected to continue until the end of March. The work will be carried out under road closure conditions however delays will be kept to a minimum.

Openreach started work on the Yinstay Road, Tankerness, on 22 February with completion currently planned for 17 May 2023. Access will be maintained for school transport.

Looking ahead:

A section of verge reconstruction on the Old Finstown Road between the access to Cursiter Quarry and Cruan Road is planned to start on 6 March and should take around four weeks to complete. The work will be carried out under road closure conditions with no access to the area for the duration of the work on site. A signed diversion will be in place via Zions Loan for all traffic. School transport and the public bus service 7 (Birsay) will follow the signed diversion.

Work to construct a small section of footway at the junction of Carness Road and Craigiefield Road is planned to commence on 6 March and is programmed to take around three weeks to complete. Traffic will be controlled by temporary traffic lights. There will be minor delays for all traffic including public bus No. 9 (Kirkwall Town Service).

Routine work to replace some of the fence posts on the Churchill Barriers is currently planned to start in early to mid-March, with the work being carried out using a convoy vehicle for the safety of crews. This will result in delays for all traffic during the working day, including the X1 public bus service and ferry traffic. Drivers are advised to allow ample time for journeys.