Roads update for week starting 25 August 2025

A summary of road delays and closures due to road and building/utility works, cruise visits and events for the week starting Monday 25 August 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 closures may be cancelled or amended at short notice due to changes in confirmed passenger numbers or bad weather cancellations by liners. The Orkney Islands Council (Cruise Liners) (Temporary Closure) Order 2025

Cruise Related Road Closures

Anticipated cruise-related road closures in central Kirkwall for the period 23  - 30 August 2025 (inclusive 2025 inclusive are below:

• Sunday 24 August: Bridge Street and Albert Street, Kirkwall, between the hours of 10am and 4pm
• Thursday 28 August: Bridge Street and Albert Street, Kirkwall, between the hours of 10am and 4pm
• Saturday 30 August: Bridge Street and Albert Street, Kirkwall, between the hours of 10am and 4pm

Upcoming closures for Community Events

Sunday 31 August - RNLI Stromness event

Ferry Road in central Stromness will close on Sunday 31 August between 8:30am and 5:30pm for an RNLI event, from the exit from the Stromness Ferry Terminal car park to Victoria Street, Stromness.

Saturday 6 September – Science Festival

The following roads in central Kirkwall will close on 6 September 2025 between 12:30 and 17:30 for the International Science Festival:

• Albert Street from Laing Street to Broad Street
• Broad Street from Albert Street to Palace Road
• Broad Street Car Park
• Castle Street from Broad Street to car park Exit

Road, building and utility works

Ongoing closures and delays:    

A961, Burray - OIC road works in Burray on the main A961, from Echna Loch to Northfield Road junction, are ongoing, with traffic lights in place. The section of works near Viewfield Rd and the Fossil Centre are expected to be completed shortly, with crews then moving closer to Northfield between the corner below Ghillietrang to the near the layby/viewpoint at the top of Norton. This phase is expected to take around four weeks to complete. All traffic including the X1 public bus service will be subject to minor delays - please allow extra time for journeys. 

Junction Road, Kirkwall  - Junction Road is closed between the Orkney Library and Castle Street to enable building works to be carried out in safety. All buses that normally use the affected section of Junction Road are being diverted via Great Western Road. The closure is expected to be in place for a further few weeks.
 
B9050 Deerness - Drainage maintenance works on the B9050 between the Denwick Road and Manse Road junctions are ongoing – traffic lights and a reduced speed limit of 30mph are in place, with short delays to all traffic.

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. 

Line marking/sweeping - Crews are out and about sweeping and line marking in various locations following the recent surface dressing works – please watch out for them and heed any speed limits which are there for everyone’s safety.

Coming soon: 

A965 Quanterness to Rennibister - From Monday 1 September, OIC will carry out carriageway reconstruction works on the main A965 Kirkwall to Stromness road, 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 minor delays - please allow extra time for journeys. 
 
Stromness/Kirkwall - monthly slab repairs  - the public are advised that on the last Thursday and Friday of each month, parts of the streets in central Stromness or Kirkwall may close for a couple of hours at a time as needed to allow our crews to carry out essential slab repair works. We kindly ask road users and the public to check weekly updates issued on Fridays through our website and social media and to local press for the latest details and timings of these closures.
 

Looking further ahead:

Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall - Starting mid to late September OIC is planning to repair a manhole cover on Pickaquoy Road. To enable the work to be carried out in safety the east bound side of Pickaquoy Road will be closed for around three days between Great Western Road and Junction Road (ie. the roundabout at McEwens and the junction at Lidl supermarket). A diversion route will be in place for affected traffic. 
 
Quoydandy Branch Road Junction (A960) - From week commencing 6 October 2025, OIC will be carrying out surfacing works on the A960 at the Quoydandy Road Junction. Works are expected to take around one week to complete. These works will be done under road closure conditions and two way traffic lights, with minor delays for the No. 4 Airport bus and school transport. More information to follow nearer the time of works.  
 
Glaitness Road, Kirkwall - From week Commencing 13 October 2025, OIC will be carrying out resurfacing works on Glaitness Road from the Kirkwall side of Little Corse Loan to Soulisquoy Loan. Works are expected to take around one week and will be carried out under road closure conditions, it is currently planned that the Number 9 bus service will be accommodated during the works. 
 
West Castle Street, Kirkwall - From week commencing 20 October 2025 OIC will be carrying out structural maintenance works on West Castle Street, for around two weeks. Works will be carried out under road closure conditions. All services buses will divert via Great Western Road during works.
 
 A964, Orphir - From around week starting Monday 3 November and following completion of the A961 roadworks in Burray, OIC will be 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 minor delays on the No2 Houton Bus and school transport.