Roads update for week starting 17/11/2025

A summary of road delays and closures due to road and building/utility works, cruise visits and events for the week starting Monday 17/11/2025.

An interactive map showing roadworks carried out by the Council is available at www.orkney.gov.uk/roads

Road works and closures by other bodies are published on the Scottish Road Works Commissioner website.

Community events

Christmas Tree Lighting, Stromness - Roads in Stromness will close on Wednesday 26/11/2025 between 17:00 and 20:00 for a Christmas tree lighting event. The following roads will be affected when required: Ferry Road (from Stromness Ferry Terminal car park to Victoria Street), John Street (from No 27 John Street to Victoria Street), Victoria Street (from John Street to Church Road), Church Road (one way only to enable traffic to travel from Victoria Street to Franklin Road). Traffic signs will be erected to indicate when a road is closed.

Christmas Tree Lighting, St Margarets Hope - Cromarty Square will close on Friday 28/11/2025 between 18:00 and 20:00 for a Christmas tree lighting event. Traffic signs will be erected to indicate when the road is closed.

Christmas Tree Lighting, Kirkwall - Roads in central Kirkwall will close on Saturday 29/11/2025 between 16:00 and 18:45 for a Christmas tree lighting event. The following roads will be affected when required: Albert Street (from Laing Street to Broad Street), Broad Street, Castle Street, Palace Road (from Watergate to Broad Street), Victoria Street (from Broad Street to Watergate), Tankerness Lane (one way section only). The public bus services No4 Airport and No9 Kirkwall Town Service will be affected during the road closure period. Traffic signs will be erected to indicate when a road is closed.

Road, building and utility works

Ongoing closures and delays:

A965 between Quanterness and Rennibister - Works are ongoing to carry out road reconstruction works on the main A965 between Quanterness Farm and Rennibister Farm. Works will take place in sections and are expected to take around 12 weeks to complete with temporary traffic lights and speed restrictions in place. All traffic, including public bus services (X1, 6 Tingwall, 8S Skara Brae) will be subject to delays - please allow extra time for journeys.

Howe Road, Stromness - SSEN are currently carrying out ducting works on Howe Road. Works are being carried out under road closure conditions and are currently planned to be completed by 24/10/2025. Diversions will be in place using the A965. The X1 public bus service will experience significant delays during this closure. Other public bus services (No5, No7, No8S) and school transport will also be affected.

A964, Orphir - We are carrying out reconstruction works on the A964 between Germiston Road and Smoogro Road. Works will be carried out under two-way traffic lights and are expected to be completed by the middle of February 2026. This will have delays on the No2 Houton Bus.

A961, St Ola - Works to construct a new access to the development site on the A961 near Dalespot started 03/11/2025. Works will be carried out under two-way traffic lights and are expected to take around 3 weeks to complete. All traffic including the X1 public bus service will be subject to delays.

Kirkwall Slab Repairs - Slab repairs in Kirkwall are ongoing. The works will be carried out under road closure conditions, with the affected roads being reopened to traffic overnight and at weekends where possible. Waste and recycling should be put out as normal for collection during all phases of the work. Deliveries to businesses affected by the works will be maintained where possible and will be at the discretion of site staff.

Junction Road, Kirkwall - R Clouston Ltd works on Junction Road are ongoing, with some traffic management in place to enable building works to be carried out in safety. There is still the potential for some delays to all traffic using Junction Road as the works on site progress.

South Ronaldsay (various locations) - Openreach works are ongoing to install ducting and fibreoptic cable in various locations around South Ronaldsay. Works will be carried out under two-way lights and road closures. Access to affected properties will be maintained at all times throughout the works, however access will be subject to delays,

Outertown Road, Stromness - Traffic on the Outertown Road will be diverted via a temporary bypass as new cable duct is laid across the road and the road is reinstated.

Stove Road, Sanday - Stove Road, Sanday will close on Tuesday 18/11/2025 when required to enable Scottish Hydro Power Distribution to deliver a new transformer to a substation. Traffic signs will be erected to indicate when the road is closed.

Coming soon:

A965, Finstown - We are planning to start drainage and associated road works on the A965 from Atlantis lodges to the Old Finstown road junction in the first week of January 2026 and are expected to be completed by the end of April 2026. Works will take place in sections and are expected to take around 16 weeks to complete with temporary traffic lights and speed restrictions in place. All traffic, including public bus services (X1, 6 Tingwall, 8S Skara Brae) will be subject to delays - please allow extra time for journeys.