Extra ferries and buses for tall ships

The tall ships should be a spectacular event, but extra measures are being taken to ensure visitors can attend more easily.

Extra ferry sailings, late-night buses and a park-and-ride service are to be laid on to help people enjoy this summer’s tall ships festivities.

The Tall Ships Races’ visit to Lerwick will take in the final week of July. Project manager Emma Miller says an “extensive programme of public transport solutions” has been arranged.

A free park-and-ride service will provide shuttle transport to the event sites at Victoria Pier and Holmsgarth on a loop.

People can park at either Sound Primary School or the Anderson High School, with a free shuttle service departing every 15 minutes until the final run at midnight.

A shuttle bus will also operate between Holmsgarth and the town centre, stopping at Freefield on request.

It will depart every 15 minutes from the Holmsgarth stop at Skipidock, beginning at 10.55am and running at 10, 25, 40 and 55 minutes past the hour until a final run from Commercial Road at 10pm.

A taxi rank will be in place at the Alexandra Building in the town centre.

Late night buses and ferry services have also been scheduled for anyone attending the evening entertainment, with the 5,500-capacity arena at Holmsgarth sold out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights for concerts featuring headliners Tide Lines, Peat & Diesel and Queen II.

Buses leaving the Viking Bus Station from midnight will travel to Sumburgh, Quendale and Bigton, Walls, Vidlin, Hillswick via Brae, and Mossbank and Toft.

There will also be bookings-only late ferries to Whalsay, Yell, Unst, Fetlar and Bressay, while a dial-a-ride minibus service will run through Yell.

There will be a full road closure on the Esplanade from 7.30am on Wednesday, 26th July until Sunday, 30th July, as part of efforts to ensure the security of the event and the safety of participants.

Additional restrictions will be in place from the top of Church Road to the Stewart Building at Commercial Road. The Bressay Ferry Terminal will remain open and can be accessed from the north end.

Extra disabled parking areas will be created in the area under Fort Charlotte and on the south side of
Church Road, as well as in the back car park of the Co-op supermarket at Holmsgarth.

The spaces will be reserved exclusively for blue badge holders.

The road closure will be extended during the opening Crew Parade between 4pm and 5pm on 26th July. A rolling closure will be implemented from Commercial Road, along the North Road and into Holmsgarth as the parade makes its way from Victoria Pier.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area and expect delays if they cannot.

For the farewell Parade of Sail on the Saturday, further road closures will be implemented on Sea Road from the turn up to Seafield, and drivers should not attempt to take vehicles to this area.

Those planning to visit Bressay to watch the Parade of Sail are advised not to bring a vehicle on the ferry. There will be limited capacity and there is no parking available at the Bressay Lighthouse area.