Roads update for week starting 2 June 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 2 June 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/ 

Anticipated closures related to cruise line visits for the 2025 season can be viewed here – please note these can be cancelled at short notice due to changes in confirmed passengers numbers or bad weather cancellations by liners.  The Orkney Islands Council (Cruise Liners) (Temporary Closure) Order 2025  

Emergency closures:

As at 2pm on Friday 30 may, Scottish Water are working on a burst water main on Moss Road, Holm. There's a closure in place at the eastern end of Moss Road near the brig. Check the Scottish Water website for updates. 

https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/In-Your-Area/Service-Updates/KW17-Holm-30052025

Community Events and Cruise 

Cruise related closures for the period 2 June – 9 June 2025 inclusive:

Albert Street and Bridge Street, Kirkwall, will close between the hours of 10am and 4pm on the following days: 

• Sunday 8 June 
• Monday 9 June 

Saturday 7 June: Kirkwall City Pipe Band  

Roads in central Kirkwall will close on Saturday 7 June 2025 from 1830 until 2030 for a Kirkwall City Pipe Band parade. Roads affected are: Albert Street, between its junctions with Laing Street and Broad Street; Broad Street, between its junction with Albert Street and Palace Road; and Castle Street, from Broad Street to car park exit on Castle Street.

Roadworks starting in the coming week:

Surface Dressing 

The annual surface dressing road works started on 14 May 2025 and are expected to take around eight weeks to complete. All surfacing works are planned to be carried out under road closure conditions which will affect all traffic with the exception of school transport. Further detail of the roads affected are available here - all dates are indicative and subject to change due to weather:  https://www.orkney.gov.uk/latest-news/drive-with-care-as-2025-road-works-season-ramps-up/. Works scheduled for the coming week:

Kirkwall: Old Scapa Road / High Street / Wellington Street – 3 June to 4 June.

Works are being carried out in two phases - either side of Glaitness Road junction. The first phase will be Old Scapa Road from Foreland Road to Glaitness Road junction, allowing traffic to access Glaitness Road, High Street and Wellington Street.  During this first phase, the No9 Kirkwall Town Service public bus will continue to operate its usual route along Old Scapa Road, it may experience minor delays.  Phase two will see High Street/Wellington Street closed between Glaitness Road junction and Junction Road, with diversions for motorists via Old Scapa Road and Foreland Road. Bin collections will take place as normal.

Papdale Road / Drive / Crescent / Place (full extent) – 4 June to 6 June

Bin collections will take place as normal.

Ongoing delays:

Outertown Road, Stromness

SSEN have now a temporary bridge on Outertown Road which is now in use and is likely to remain in place until September 2025.

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: