Forrest Road in Edinburgh’s Old Town will be closed from Monday, March 2, to allow for urgent sewer repair work. Scottish Water is addressing damage to a cundy carrying waste water to the main sewer that has caused internal flooding in a building. Crews will need to dig to a depth of at least three metres to access the damaged pipe.
The closure will take place at the junction with George IV Bridge, near the National Museum of Scotland and Greyfriars Kirkyard. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout, and all businesses in the area will remain open as usual.
Traffic heading towards George IV Bridge will be diverted down Bristo Place, along Potterrow, Marshall Street, Nicholson Square, and Nicholson Street, then along Chambers Street and back onto George IV Bridge. Road users are being asked to follow all signs and allow extra time for their journey.
The repair work is expected to take up to two weeks to complete. If you use that stretch of Forrest Road regularly, you will want to plan accordingly. The diversion route is not short, and the area around the National Museum is already busy on a normal day. Adding roadworks to the mix will make it busier still.