As everyone who lives in Newtonhill will know, Scottish Water is installing a new mains into the village. I’ve just received an update from the company about what will happen when the work reaches the A92 southbound carriageway.

Here is what Scottish Water has to say: “Phase four of the work on Newtonhill Road is about to begin, and this will involve the closure of the southbound A92 slip road entering Newtonhill from the North. This is to prevent any possible back up of traffic onto the A92 caused by the temporary traffic lights near the top of Newtonhill Road and to allow a safe working area for the works next to the slip road.

“A diversion will be in place via the Stonehaven junction on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. The southbound exit from Newtonhill onto the A92 will remain open.

“This phase of works will start on Monday 28 March and last approximately four weeks.”

There are now notices from Aberdeenshire Council at bus stops advising of the impact on local buses.

It says that southbound services will be affected. During the closure the X7 buses will stop at the former bus stop on the dual carriageway outside Tesco. Traffic leaving the village to go to south will have to beware of these buses.

Otherwise the southbound exit from Newtonhill on to the A92 will remain open as normal.

As well as closing the southbound access into the village, it will affect the three afternoon buses returning from Portlethen Academy. See the letter displayed below.

UPDATE 22 March:

We received an addressed leaflet via Royal Mail today with information from Scottish Water about what they are going to do. Presumably every household in the village received a copy.

I raised the length of the closure with council officers today. Officers have been urging Scottish Water – and their contractors – to move as quickly as possible and reduce how long the access from the A92 will last. However it is up to Scottish Water.