Roads update for week starting 21 April 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 21 April 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/

Starting in the coming week:

Hellihole Road, Stromness

From 21 April to 27 April, SSEN will be carrying out services connections on Hellihole Road, Stromness between Whitehouse Lane and Dundas Street. Works are expected to take approximately one week to complete. The work will be carried out under road closure conditions, with the traffic being diverted via Back Road Ness Road, South End and Alfred Street. 

Pipersquoy Road, Kirkwall

From Thursday 24 April 2025, SSEN will carrying out maintenance to their substation on Pipersquoy Road, Kirkwall. Works will be completed under road closure conditions and are expected to take one day to complete - however the work is weather dependent so the road closure date may change. The works will have an effect on the No 9 Kirkwall Town bus service. The bus will go via Holm Branch Road onto Holm Road and wait at the top of Quoybanks Crescent, Kirkwall.

Ongoing closures and delays:   

Kirkwall Slab Repairs (Central Kirkwall)

Slab repair works started on Monday 7 April 2025 and are expected to take around three weeks to complete, the works will be carried out under road closure conditions with the affected sections of road being open to traffic overnight and at weekends.
  
Phase 1: Bridge Street and Albert Street (Bridge Street to Laing Street) - complete  
Phase 2 : Albert Street (Laing Street to Broad Street) Thursday 10 April 2025 to Monday 14 April 2025 - complete
Phase 3 : Victoria Street, Monday 14 April 2025 to Wednesday 23 April 2025 - underway
Phase 4 : Main Street, Thursday 24 April 2025 to Wednesday 30 April 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:

Work Road, Kirkwall

From 28 April, OIC will be carrying out surfacing works on Work Road, Kirkwall, between the Craigiefield junction and Weyland Farm, for approximately one week. Works will be under road closure conditions and will affect the No 9 Kirkwall Town bus service. (The No 9 Town Service bus will not cover Work Road, Craigiefield and Carness Road – it will divert after Orkney College to Islands View Road via Moar Drive). 

Cromwell Road, Kirkwall

From Monday 5 May 2025 OIC will be carrying out surfacing /haunch works on Cromwell Road, Kirkwall between the Coastguard station and Islands View Road junction. Works are expected to take around two weeks to complete and will be under road closure conditions. The closure will impact the Number 9 bus service (Kirkwall Town service). This closure will cause a significant diversion/delay to the No9 Kirkwall Town Service bus - further details to follow. 

Surface Dressing - various locations

Surface dressing works are planned to start 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. Further detail of the roads affected will be provided in due course.

Junction Rd/New Scapa Rd

Scottish Water are planning to carry out works to repair manholes covers (date TBC) in various areas along Junction Road/ New Scapa Rd. The works will be mainly carried out under road closure conditions. Further information will be supplied in due course.