Disruption expected on main road north out of Lerwick in coming weeks

ROAD users can expect disruption on the A970 main road north out of Lerwick over the next six to eight weeks.

Resurfacing work on an 800-metre stretch of the main road north out of Lerwick will start next week.

Traffic lights will be in operation as Shetland Islands Council’s roads service undertakes the work, near the junction of Ladies Drive with the main road.

And separately there will also be some blasting operations nearby, which could last until 31 October.

These are related to the Mossy Hill wind farm development.

The council said that resurfacing work is needed because the surface on sections of this road is worn, including parts of the three-lane carriageway north of Gremista.

The road surface will be planed back and replaced with a bitumen sub-base and new top wearing surface, plus new cat’s eyes reflectors and relining. Weather permitting, the work will begin on Monday 7 September and may last up to six weeks.

Traffic lights will be in operation, with a three-way set of lights at the Ladies Drive junction.

At peak hours traffic lights will be manually operated, and some delays may be expected. Blasting will take place during the early evenings between 6pm-7pm, when traffic volumes are lower, the council said.

There will be an exclusion zone around the blast site, for a period of around 15-minutes each time.

Warning signals will be given ahead of each blast, which will trigger a full three-way road closure in place for all traffic approaching or leaving Lerwick on the A970, and on Ladies Drive.