Weight restriction lifted on Dales Lees road after long wait

THE WEIGHT restriction on the A968 ‘Dales Lees’ road in the North Mainland has finally been lifted, Shetland Islands Council has confirmed.

A temporary traffic regulation prohibiting vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes from using the Toft to Voe road was first introduced in January of this year, before being lifted several months later.

However another 7.5 tonne restriction was then applied in early July, initially for a period of 12 weeks.

That had been extended to Friday 30 October, but the SIC said today (Wednesday) that the restriction had now been lifted.

The restrictions were in place to allow for the laying of a 33kV cable, with all other traffic allowed to continue using the road.

Large HGVs have had to divert through Brae during the traffic restriction, causing a longer journey for those vehicles heading to the Toft ferry terminal for onward travel to Yell and Unst.

It forms part of SSEN Distribution’s Shetland North Reinforcement project, which involves the installation of two new 43km underground cables between Sullom Voe and Gremista.

The Dales Lees road was closed to all through traffic from July to early November last year, again to allow for cabling work to take place.