Statement of Reasons
The temporary road closure is in the interests of road safety at the start of the Stornoway Half Marathon event. At the start of the race the runners tend to be grouped together. At the previous event in 2024 there were 166 competitors. It is not feasible to have runners confined to the footpath as falls and trips would be likely and runners would overspill on to the road. The short road closure will allow runners to use the road safely, with a vehicle free lane, as the race progresses through the town.
Traffic will be held up at any junctions or accesses to the sections of road affected by the closure as the race passes.
As the runners reach the roundabout at the James St/Shell St junction they will be directed on to the footpath on Newton Street. At this stage, the race will have opened out and there will not be a need to close roads for groups of runners.
The sections of road closed are:
- CROMWELL STREET - from the Bayhead Street/Kenneth Street junction and then in a southerly direction to South Beach Street.
- NORTH BEACH STREET – from Cromwell Street and then in a westerly direction to Castle Street.
- CASTLE STREET – from North Beach Street and then in a southerly direction to South Beach Street.
- SOUTH BEACH STREET – from the Castle Street junction and then in an easterly direction to the James Street/Shell Street roundabout.
- SHELL STREET - from the James Street/Shell Street roundabout and then in an easterly direction to the Ferry Road/Newton Street roundabout.