Roads update for week starting 30 September 2024

A summing up of road delays and closures due to road works and events underway or soon to start in the county - for the week starting Monday 30 September 2024.

Road works closures and delays starting soon  

Skiddy Road to Gorseness Road, Rendall

Road reconstruction works are planned to take place from Monday 30 September to Monday 18 November. Work will be carried out under traffic lights and temporary 30mph speed limits.  

Ongoing road works and delays: 

A961 Churchill Barriers

General maintenance works are planned for the Churchill Barriers from Monday 23 September 2024, for around 4 weeks. There will be traffic management in place while workers are on site including a reduced speed limit and speed reduction measures. Short delays to traffic including the X1 public bus service.

Old Finstown Road, Glaitness Road, Kirkwall 

Streetlighting works are planned between Liberator Drive and Soulisquoy Loan, from Monday 23 September 2024 for around 12 weeks. There will be temporary traffic signals in use for the duration of the works. There will be short delays for all traffic including the No. 9 (Town) and No. 7 (Birsay/Dounby) public bus services. As part of the traffic management for these works, there will be short delays on footways through this site of up to 15 minutes in duration. Operatives will be on hand to escort pedestrians through the site as needed. It is advised that pedestrians use the Liberator to Muddisdale Road route, where possible, in order to avoid delays. Segregated pedestrian walkways will be reinstated outside of working hours.  Ongoing works:   

Back Road, Stromness

Streetlight and drainage repair works are underway on Back Road, Stromness, just outside the Royal Mail sorting office. Traffic lights are in place and work is expected to finish by mid October. 

Junction Road, Kirkwall

Junction Road will be closed outside the Albert Hotel (between its junctions with the Albert Street car park and Burnmouth Road), as needed from Monday 16 September 2024, for approximately six months as building works are carried out on the Albert Hotel. A signed diversion for motorists and buses will be in place via Ayre Road, Borough Road (past the Police Station) and Great Western Road. Drivers are advised to keep to the diversions as much as possible and avoid using West Castle Street due to bus traffic. Folks wishing to use the Albert Street car park will need to approach via the Kiln Corner roundabout. 

Berstane Road, Kirkwall

Berstane Road will close between its junctions with The Meadows and Springfield Drive, when required, from Monday 16 September to 4 October 2024 for SSEN works. Traffic signs will be erected to indicate when the road is closed. No impact on public buses. 

Burnett Brae, Kirkwall

Burnett Brae, Kirkwall will close as needed from Monday 16 September to Friday 28 September, between Wasdale Crescent and its junction with Moar Drive, to enable a new water main to be laid for the new nursery development. No public buses are affected. 

Holm Road (A961), Kirkwall

Potential for multiple short duration road closures from 15 April 2024 to early November 2024 while works are carried out on Highland Park Distillery. Closures will be up to a maximum duration of 20 minutes , and carried out around ferry traffic, commuter traffic and bus services. 

A960, St Andrews & Toab

Scottish Water works are ongoing with the possibility that there may be the need to use temporary traffic lights on the A960 between the Groatsetter Road and the Stembister Road during the next few weeks as work progresses, which will have an effect on the No3 bus service (Deerness – Tankerness) and general traffic in the area of the works. 

Looking further ahead:   

Junction Road and Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall near roundabout 

From 7 October 2024 to 24 December 2025 roads in the area around the junction of Pickaquoy and Junction Road will close, when required, to enable redevelopment/building works on the Salvation Army hall. Closures may include include Gunns Close car park (at the rear of Sutherlands’ Pharmacy and Bruce’s Stores); Junction Road between Union Street and West Castle Street; Pickaquoy Road between Great Western Road and Junction Road; West Castle Street; and West Tankerness Lane. Traffic signs will be erected to indicate when a road or car park road is closed. Motorists should note these closures may run simultaneously with the ongoing closure on Junction Road near the Albert Hotel. It is therefore strongly advised drivers follow all signed diversions in order to avoid bottlenecks. Bus passengers are advised to board/disembark outside the works area.  

Stromness Slab Repairs

Works are currently planned to carry out slab repairs from John Street to Hellihole Road from 21 October 2024, with the works taking approximately 4 weeks to complete. The works will be carried out under road closure conditions. 

Kirkwall Slab Repairs

Slab repairs for Kirkwall are also planned, further information on the works and required road closures will be advised once the information is available. 

King Street, Kirkwall - Road reconstruction works from Monday 25 November to Friday 20 December. Details TBC.