There will be a number of road closures in place during the Tall Ships Races event to ensure the security of the event, and the safety of the participants.

Lerwick Town Centre

From 0730 on Wednesday 26th July to 1000 on Sunday 30th July, there will be a full road closure on Commercial Street and the Esplanade. Access will be permitted each day between 0600 and 1030, for legitimate delivery vehicles only, to access event sites and local businesses. Delivery vehicles should access from the north end of the Esplanade past Stewart Building only, as vehicle access to/ from Church Road will be not be available.

While the Esplanade will re-open at 1000 on Sunday 30th July, Commercial Street will remain closed to traffic until Monday 31st July.

A half road closure will be in place from the bottom of Church Road to the Royal Mail depot yard, with no access permitted beyond this point. Access down Church Road will be restricted to Royal Mail vehicles, Blue Badge holders for parking in designated spaces, and local residents including those in the South Commercial Street and Leog areas.

Access to the Bressay Ferry terminal will remain open, accessible only from the north end. Any vehicles disembarking the Bressay ferry must exit to the right towards Commecial Road.

A number of surrounding roads will be subject to one-way traffic: Burgh Road will run from north to south (as it does for all large events), Market Street between Harbour Street and Commercial Road will run in that northerly direction only, Garthspool Road will run downhill only from North Road to Garthspool, and the link road between the Amenity Trust building and Shearers Quay will run from Garthspool to Shearers Quay to ease movement by the Park-and-Ride and Shuttle bus services.

Crew Parade

The road closure area will extend during the Crew Parade on Wednesday 26th July, between 1530 and 1700. A rolling closure will be implemented from Commercial Road, along North Road and into the Holmsgarth area as the Parade makes its way from Victoria Pier. Drivers should avoid the area and expect delays if they cannot.

Access to the Bressay Ferry terminal will not be possible during the Crew Parade road closures. Therefore, the following ferries will NOT operate. This does not affect any other service.

  • 1530 from Lerwick
  • 1545 from Bressay
  • 1610 from Lerwick
  • 1620 from Bressay
  • 1630 from Lerwick
  • 1700 from Bressay

Parade of Sail

To avoid congestion, a number of restrictions will be in place on Saturday 29th July from 0900 to 1800 to enable the public to access viewing points for the Parade of Sail.

There will be no parking, and vehicular access for residents only, on the following roads: Sea Road leading to Ness of Sound, access road to the Knab viewpoint, and the road to the lower cemetery car park in Lerwick – the car park will be available to blue badge holders

A one-way system and parking restrictions will be in place around the Knab/ Twageos area and southwards along Breiwick Road.

In Bressay, vehicular access along the south road to the lighthouse will be restricted to residents access only, and there will be strictly no parking along the road, within any passing places or at the lighthouse.

Cycle access will be permitted along both Sea Road in Lerwick and the south road in Bressay.

Free Event Transport
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Late Night Public Transport
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