Roads update for week starting 28 July 2025

Cruise related road closures

Anticipated cruise-related road closures in central Kirkwall for the period 28 July – 4 August 2025 inclusive are below: 

Sunday 27 July: Bridge Street and Albert Street, Kirkwall, between the hours of 10am and 4pm 

Sunday 3 August: Bridge Street and Albert Street, Kirkwall, between the hours of 10am and 4pm

Road, building and utility works

Starting this week: 

Willow Road, Kirkwall (closure)

Between Tuesday 29 July and Thursday 31 July inclusive, Willow Road in Kirkwall will be closed to enable work on a substation.  

Ongoing closures and delays:    

A961, Burray 

From 14 July, OIC will be carrying out carriageway surfacing and reconstruction works in Burray on the main A961, from Echna Loch to Northfield Road junction. 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. To enable the first two phase of the works the Viewfield Road will be closed at its junction with the A961 - diversion signage will be in place for affected traffic and Fossil Centre access. All traffic including the X1 public bus service will be subject to minor delays - please allow extra time for journeys. 

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 and to help the newly laid chips bed in nicely. 

Further detail of the roads affected are available here https://www.orkney.gov.uk/latest-news/drive-with-care-as-2025-road-works-season-ramps-up/ 

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. 

Coming up soon: 

Junction Road, Kirkwall 

From Monday 11 August, R Clouston Ltd will be closing Junction Road between the Orkney Library and Castle Street, for approximately four weeks, to enable building works to be carried out in safety. All public buses will divert via the back of the Orkney Library (ie Great Western Road). 

Looking further ahead:      

A965 Quanterness to Rennibister 

From Monday 25 August, 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. 

Pickaquoy Road 

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 between the roundabout at McEwens and the junction at Lidl supermarket). A diversion route will be in place for affected traffic. 

A964, Orphir 

From around week starting Monday 3 October 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 public and school transport. 

Quoydandy Branch Road Jct (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 

From week Commencing 13 October 2025, OIC will be carrying out resurfacing works on Glaitness Road from Stromberry to the new Kirkwall care home. Works are expected to take around one week to complete and a road closure will be in place. Public buses will still be accommodated during the works. 

West Castle Street, 

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 divert via Great Western Road (back of the Orkney Library) during works.