Roads update for week starting 10 March 2025

A summing up of road delays and closures due to road works underway or soon to start in the county - for the week starting Monday 10 March 2025.

New delays/closures:

Broad Street, Kirkwall

Broad Street will be closed on Road closure this Sunday 9 March (weather permitting) to allow routine survey work to be carried out on the Kirkwall Town Hall. With a large crane on site to enable high level checks, for safety reasons Broad Street will be closed to traffic from around 6am until 5pm. Broad Street will still be open to pedestrians and the Cathedral’s Sunday services will go ahead as planned.

Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall

SSEN will be carrying out some cable investigation works on Pickaquoy Road between Great Western Road and Junction Road starting 10 March 2025, and are expected to take a couple of weeks with the works being carried out under temporary traffic signals. The works will affect all bus services that use Junction Road. 

Ongoing delays/closures

King Street, Kirkwall

Reconstruction works started on Monday 17 February 2025 and are expected to take around 5 weeks to complete. The road will be closed between School Place and Mill Street for the duration of the works. There will be limited access to the King Street car park at the Council offices (next door to the former King Street dental clinic) and the car park at No 9 King Street, with the car parks also having to be closed during some phases of the work.  

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.

A961, St Ola

Scottish Water is carrying out repairs to the water tank between Oaklee and St Clair Farm, the works will be carried out under two way traffic lights and are expected to take around two weeks to complete. This will cause some delays to the X1 public bus service (St Margarets Hope- Stromness).

Looking further ahead:   

Outertown Road, Stromness - OIC will be undertaking essential ditch/carriageway maintenance on Outertown Road, Stromness. The works are scheduled to commence Monday 17 March 2025 for drainage works, a further update to follow once dates confirmed for full road closure to carry out carriageway repairs, works are expected to take around three to four weeks to complete. 

B9052, Graemeshall, Holm -  From Monday 24 March 2025 OIC will be carrying out surfacing works on the B9052 at Graemeshall and are expected to take around a week to complete. Works will be carried out under road closure conditions with diversions via Moss Road. 

Junction Rd/New Scapa Rd – Scottish Water are planning to carry out works to repair manholes covers on Various areas along Junction Road/ New Scapa Rd in early April 2025. The works will be mainly carried out under road closure conditions, further information to follow closer to the beginning of the works 

Haybrake Road, South Ronaldsay – OIC will be carrying out culvert repairs on the Haybrake Road, South Ronaldsay starting 7 April 2025 and are expected to take around a week to complete. Works will be carried out under road closure conditions. 

Pipersquoy Road, Kirkwall - From Thursday 24 April 2025, SSEN will carrying out  maintenance to their substation on Pipersquoy Road, Kirkwall. The works will be completed under road closure conditions which will have an effect on the Number 9 Bus service (Kirkwall Town service). The works are expected to take day just one day to complete however is weather dependent so road closure date may change. Further information to follow closer to the beginning of the works.