Historic sites safety advice for bus users

Our Transportation team is reminding bus users that passengers wishing to travel to the historic sites should use the timing points highlighted orange on the X1 timetable to travel to and from the sites.

The X1 provides an hourly service past the historic sites at peak times from April to October, calling past Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness, picking up and dropping off passengers along the Brodgar Road.

(Full timetables at www.orkney.gov.uk/bus).

We would discourage people walking down to the Brodgar Road end to the main A965 to board the X1 Stromness to Kirkwall direct service, as there is no hard stand area for people to wait safely for the bus – and it is a busy road with fast moving traffic.

We would also discourage groups walking along the A965 between Brodgar Road end to Stenness village where possible.

Local drivers should also be aware that there may be pedestrians walking on the A965 between Stenness village and Tormiston area and should take care when passing.

Stagecoach have informed their bus drivers that there should be no picking up or dropping off on the wrong side of the road, where crossing the A965 is required, for example to get to or from Brodgar Road.

It is also the bus drivers’ discretion whether they pick up passengers from the Brodgar Road end.

Thank you for helping keep everyone safe on our roads.