Roads update for week starting 14 April 2025

A summing up of road delays and closures due to road and building/utility works, cruise visits and events - for the week starting Monday 14 April 2025. 

You can zoom in for a detailed view of roadworks carried out by the Council at www.orkney.gov.uk/roads 

Road works and closures by other bodies are published on the Scottish Road Works Commissioner website https://roadworks.scot/

Starting in the coming week:   

Grainshore Road, Kirkwall

From Monday 14 April 2025 OIC will be carrying out surfacing/haunch works on Grainshore Road, Kirkwall. The works are expected to take around one week to complete. There will be a road closure between Crowness Crecent and Hatson Pier. Access to Crowness Road will be under two-way traffic signals. The closures will affect cruise liner buses, however the X1 bus will not be impacted  

Hillside Road (B9057), Dounby 

Hillside Road, Dounby, between the A986 and Market Green, will be closed from Monday 14 April 2025 for around two weeks to enable service connections to be made to the development opposite the Market Green.  

Ongoing closures and delays:   

Kirkwall Slab Repairs (Central Kirkwall) 

Slab repair works started on Monday 7 April 2025 and a are expected to take around three weeks to complete, the works will be carried out under road closure conditions with the affected sections of road being open to traffic overnight and at weekends.

• Phase 1: Bridge Street and Albert Street (Bridge Street to Laing Street). (This section now complete)
• Phase 2 : Albert Street (Laing Street to Broad Street) Thursday 10 April 2025 to Monday 14 April 2025 
• Phase 3 : Victoria Street, Monday 14 April 2025 to Wednesday 23 April 2025 
• Phase 4 : Main Street, Thursday 24 April 2025 to Wednesday 30 April 2025 

Gorseness Road, Rendall  

From Monday 7 April 2025 OIC will be carrying out essential drainage works at Gorseness Road, Rendall. Works will be carried out under road closure conditions and will take place during the school holidays. The closure is towards the Tingwall end of Gorseness Road, near the access to Orquil Farm. 

Junction Road, Kirkwall (near Albert Hotel) 

Junction Road near the Albert Hotel still has some restrictions and delays as work remains ongoing at the site. A scaffold tower is still in place at the hotel which will restrict the free flow of traffic and there may be short road closures during the working day to enable materials to be delivered. 

Looking further ahead:    

Hellihole Road, Stromness 

From 21 April to 27 April, SSEN will be carrying out services connections on Hellihole Road, Stromness between Whitehouse Lane and Dundas Street , for approximately one week. The work will be carried out under road closure conditions, with the traffic being diverted via Back Road Ness Road, South End and Alfred Street. 

Pipersquoy Road, Kirkwall   

From Thursday 24 April 2025, SSEN will carrying out maintenance to their substation on Pipersquoy Road, Kirkwall. Works will be completed under road closure conditions and are expected to take just one day to complete - however the work is weather dependent so the road closure date may change. The works will have an effect on the No 9 Kirkwall Town bus service. The bus will go via Holm Branch Road onto Holm Road and wait at the top of Quoybanks Crescent. 

Work Road, Kirkwall   

From 28 April, OIC will be carrying out surfacing works on Work Road, Kirkwall, between the Craigiefield junction and Weyland Farm, for approximately one week. Works will be under road closure conditions and will affect the No 9 Kirkwall Town bus service. (The No 9 Town Service bus will not cover Work Road, Craigiefield and Carness Road – it will divert after Orkney College to Islands View Road via Moar Drive). 

Stromness Slab Repairs 

Slab repair works in central Stromness are currently planned to start from Monday 28 April 2025, with the works expected to take around three weeks to complete, carried out under road closure in stages. The works will affect Alfred Street, Dundas Street, Graham Place, John Street, Ness Road, South End and Victoria Street. Further information on the dates of the various road closures will be provided prior to work starting. 

Cromwell Road, Kirkwall  

From Monday 5 May 2025 OIC will be carrying out surfacing /haunch works on Cromwell Road, Kirkwall between the Coastguard station and Islands View Road junction. Works are expected to take around two weeks to complete and will be under road closure conditions. The closure will impact the Number 9 bus service (Kirkwall Town service). This closure will cause a significant diversion/delay to the No9 Kirkwall Town Service bus - further details to follow. 

Junction Rd/New Scapa Rd 

Scottish Water are planning to carry out works to repair manholes covers (date TBC) in various areas along Junction Road/ New Scapa Rd. The works will be mainly carried out under road closure conditions. Further information will be supplied in due course. 

Cruise and Community Events 

Anticipated road closures for the week ahead in central Kirkwall between the hours of 10am and 4pm, in relation to cruise liner visits, are as follows. Please note these closures can be cancelled at short notice due to changes in confirmed passenger numbers or bad weather cancellations by liners:  

• There are no road closures for the week starting Monday 14 April 

View anticipated closures for the season at this public notice:  The Orkney Islands Council (Cruise Liners) (Temporary Closure) Order 2025