Road works update for week starting 21 November

A roundup of works underway or soon to start for the week commencing 21 November 2022:

Work to replace the collapsed retaining wall at the junction of Hammar Road and the A966 (near the turnoff to Tingwall ferry terminal) is programmed to start week commencing Monday 21 November, and is expected to take until the end of February 2023 to complete. Motorists are advised the current traffic management arrangements which have been in place for a number of months now will change from as early as Monday 21 November to allow contractors to take down and replace the damaged wall. While traffic will continue to be controlled by temporary traffic lights, the length of road under traffic control will increase and the road width will be reduced to single lane (so significantly narrower than has been the case). This is to protect workers and to enable part of the existing road to be excavated in preparation for wall foundations to be laid. Motorists are asked to be mindful of these changes and to drive accordingly and observe any speed signs which are there for everyone’s protection. Meanwhile, there are still traffic lights in place to control traffic and a temporary barrier in place.

Work to install OIC’s Festive lighting in Kirkwall, Stromness and St Margaret’s Hope is planned to take place between 22 and 24 November as follows:

• 22 November, Cromarty Square, St Margaret’s Hope, the work will be carried out under short duration road closures and will be carried out to minimise disruption to bus and ferry traffic.
• 23 November, Pierhead to Graham Place, Stromness, work will be carried out under road closure conditions which will cause traffic disruption in the area.
• 23 & 24 November, Albert Street, Bridge Street, Broad Street, Main Street and Victoria Street, Kirkwall, work is planned to be carried out in the evenings between 18:00 and 22:00 and will be carried out under road closure conditions.

Road works and road closures are ongoing on the B9055 Brodgar Road and are expected to continue into mid December, carried out in four phases. Note that Phase 2 is almost complete and Phase 3 (from Buckan Cottage to Lyking Road) is expected to start Monday 21 November. Please note below revised schedule and completion dates. Signed diversion routes will be in place for duration via Harray and Dounby (the A986) or A967 Sandwick Road, and at times via the Lyking Road. These are relatively lengthy diversions so drivers should allow extra time for their journeys. The works will impact on public bus Service 8 (Quoyloo service) - buses will not serve Brodgar Road and will follow the signed diversions. The works will be carried out in four stages – please note the dates are indicative and subject to weather and resourcing:

• Phase 1 Layby at Standing Stones of Stenness to Ring of Brodgar car park - 19 October to 10 November (completed)
• Phase 2 Ring of Brodgar car park to access to Buckan Cottage - 15 to 18 November (due to finish end of day on 18 November)
• Phase 3 Buckan to Lyking Road – 21 to 25 November
• Phase 4 Lyking Road to A967 - 28 November to 6 December

Work is ongoing on the Harray Road (A986) to fix a collapsed culvert which has been causing flooding on the road between Grimeston Road and Refuge Corner. At the moment, crews are off site but there is steel-plating in place over the road until the crews return to finish the culvert replacement, at which point temporary traffic lights will be reinstated. Drivers are asked to heed any speed signs for the safety of workers exposed to traffic. There will be slight delays for public bus Service 7 (Birsay-Dounby).

Work by Scottish Water is ongoing on Glaitness Road, Kirkwall, with temporary traffic lights in place.

Looking ahead:

Work is currently planned to take place on the Quoyloo Road from 7 to 13 December 2022 with the work being carried out under road closure conditions. The road will be closed from West Bain to Kierfiold Farm, and a signed diversion route will be in place via Loch of Skaill for the duration of the work on site. There's no impact on public buses, and school bus services will be accommodated.

Work is planned to take place on the Yesnaby Road on 14 to 16 December 2022 , with the road being closed whilst work is being carried out on site. Delays to affected properties will be minimised when possible.

Resurfacing works on the Holm Road/Easdale loan junction is planned to start on 4 January 2023, for around four days. (These are works rescheduled from October to allow Openreach to repair a manhole in the vicinity.) This will see Easdale Loan being closed to through traffic and temporary traffic lights in place. The No 9 Town service will experience minor delays, and there will be a short diversion for the No 4 Airport bus, but passengers will be able to pick the bus up at both the top or the bottom of Easdale loan.

Work is planned to start on the A964 between Scorradale Road and Gyre Road (in vicinity of Nealand Kennels) on 9 January 2023. It is likely the work will need to be carried out under road closure conditions, but this has yet to be confirmed. Further details including impacts on school transport and/or public buses (Service 2 – Houton) will follow.

The Openreach works on the Yinstay Road, Tankerness, have been rescheduled to commence on 12 January 2023 with completion still hopefully by 21/01/2023. Further information on access during the work will hopefully be available shortly.