Roads update for week starting 5 May 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 5 May 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/ 

Closures for Community Events 

Thursday 8 May - Royal British Legion VE Day Event 

Roads in central Kirkwall will close on Thursday 8 May 2025 between 10.15am and 11.30 for the Royal British Legion VE Day parade. Closures are Albert Street, Bridge Street,  Broad Street, (from Albert Street to Palace Road), and Castle Street (from car park exit to Broad Street), when required. Traffic signs will be erected to indicate when a road is closed. The closure will affect the No. 9 Kirkwall Town Service and No. 4 Airport bus services. 

Cruise related closures

There are no road closures for the week starting Monday 5 May 2025. You can view anticipated closures for the season at this public notice:  The Orkney Islands Council (Cruise Liners) (Temporary Closure) Order 2025

Works related closures starting in the coming week:   

Cromwell Road, Kirkwall   

From Tuesday 6 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 Kirkwall Town service bus, causing significant diversions/delays. The bus will divert via Islands View, Moar Drive, East Road, School Place, and Clay Loan to Kirkwall Travel Centre. Because of the significant diversion involved the bus will not be able to operate to timetable, potentially running several minutes late at times. 

Grainshore Road, Kirkwall 

On Tuesday 6 May Scottish Water will be carrying out manhole repairs on Grainshore Road, Kirkwall, with a road closure in place during the day (7am to 5pm) between Garrison Rd and Ayre Mills Roundabout. Heavy vehicles travelling through Kirkwall and not needing access to Hatston Industrial Estate should travel along the A965. Access to Ayre Mills car park will be maintained, from the industrial estate/Grainshore Road direction. 

Junction Rd, Kirkwall 

On Tuesday 6 May Scottish Water will be carrying out Manhole Repairs on Junction Road (Near Albert Hotel) works will be done under road closure conditions. Closure will be between Kiln Corer Roundabout and Albert St carpark. This will affect the No. 4 Airport Bus. A signed diversion will be in place via Ayre Road, Borough Road (past the Police Station) and Great Western Road. Drivers are advised to keep to the diversions as much as possible and avoid using West Castle Street due to bus traffic. Folks wishing to use the Albert Street car park will need to approach via the Kiln Corner roundabout. 

Ongoing closures and delays:    

 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). 

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:     

Surface Dressing 

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.