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The Road Section would like to inform the public of a planned temporary road closure on a section of Longwood Avenue from 09:00 on Monday, 24 November through to 15:00 on Sunday, 30 November 2025. This closure is necessary to safely carry out major layer upgrades on the section of road between the entrance of the Piccolo Hill complex and the house known as “The Boot”.
Access and Diversions
- Piccolo Hill Residents: Access to the Piccolo Hill complex will not be affected.
- Public Diversions: Depending on your destination, alternative routes will be necessary. Please plan your journey using routes such as:
- Bottom Woods Road
- Haul Road
- Colt Sheds Road
- Emergency Services: We regret to inform that Emergency Services will be affected by this closure. We advise all emergency personnel to note the closure times and plan their routes accordingly during this period.
Travellers, especially those going to the airport, are advised to allow extra time for travel and make use of the diversion routes. Please adhere to all signage and instructions from personnel on site.
The Road Section apologises for any inconvenience this essential maintenance work may cause and thanks the public for their cooperation.
Ongoing Daily Closures – Bottom Woods to Longwood Gate
Please note that in addition to the planned closure mentioned above, roadworks are continuing along the section between Bottom Woods and Longwood Gate until late January 2026. These works involve daily closures between 09:00 and 15:00, but only on the specific section being worked on each day (approximately 150–200 metres at a time). The entire stretch from Bottom Woods to Longwood Gate will not be closed all at once.
Because the exact location changes daily, we cannot provide precise points in advance. Drivers should expect a short closure somewhere along this section during the stated hours and plan accordingly. Again, please adhere to all signage and instructions from personnel on site.
Photo
A map showing the location of the planned roadworks (in red)
St Helena is expected to experience unsettled sea conditions from Thursday 12 November 2025 to Sunday 16 November 2025, in both James and Rupert’s Bay.
Boat owners are advised to ensure their vessels are securely moored during this period.
Swimmers should exercise extreme caution when entering the water in James Bay and Rupert’s Bay and should refrain from using life rings and other lifesaving equipment for recreational purposes
Vehicle owners are advised to avoid parking near the rails along the seafront. Individuals are asked to exercise caution when in close proximity to the railings due to the potential risk of wave overspray and associated hazards.
The Emergency Planning Department will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide further updates as necessary
SHG
13 November 2025
The Tourist Office would like to advise the public that their office will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, 13 November 2025 from 10:00 to 12:00.
Normal operations will resume on Sunday, 16 November from 09:00.
The Tourist Office would like to apologise for any convenience this may cause, and the public are thanked in advance for their understanding and cooperation.
SHG
12 November 2025
A meeting of the Police and Crime Panel will take place on Thursday, 13 November 2025 from 13:00 to 15:00. This meeting will be held at the conference room in Customs House, Jamestown.
The agenda will include a Police and Crime Panel report from the Temporary Director of Police and a question and answer (QA) section from the panel.
The report summary can be found on the SHG Website: The Royal St Helena Police Service | St Helena Government
For more information, please contact the Temporary Director of Police, Kevin Weir, by telephone on (00290) 22626 or by email through kevin.weir@sainthelena.gov.sh
SHG
12 November 2025
The public are advised that the Immigration and Customs office at Liberation House in Ruperts will be closed on Wednesday 12 November 2025 due to staff training.
Normal operations will resume on Thursday 13 November 2025.
The public are thanked in advance for their understanding and cooperation.
SHG
10 November 2025
The public are advised that on Tuesday 11 November 2025, Ruperts Port including the beach area and the whole of Lower Ruperts will be closed from 07:00 hours due to the movement of containers in preparation for the next call of the MV Karoline.
Access to the Port will only be granted to those persons and vehicles with authorisation from the Port Management.
Port Control would like to thank the public for their understanding and apologises for any inconvenience caused.
SHG
07 November 2025
The Roads Section would like to inform the public of revised closure dates and times for resurfacing work planned for the Tomb Road to Hutt’s Gate.
Please note the following key closure details:
| Schedule of Roadworks | |||
| Road Closures | Dates | Daily Closure Time | Diversions |
| Tomb Road to Hutt’s Gate | Tuesday 4 November to Sunday 9 November 2025 | 09:00 to 15:00 | The Dungeon via Gordon’s Post and Haul Road. |
| Monday 10 November to Thursday 13 November 2025 | Full closure from 09:00 on Mon 10 November to 15:00 Thurs 13 November 2025 | ||
These works will affect regular public transport routes and may impact Emergency Services response times during the closure hours. We are working to complete this project as quickly as possible to minimise disruption.
Please note that the full-time closures effective from Monday 10th November are necessary to enable the slurry to dry sufficiently in the current inclement weather conditions being experienced. Opening the road to vehicular traffic before the slurry layer has cured sufficiently increases the risk of damaging the new layer.
All motorists are advised to expect delays when travelling through or around these areas during working hours. Please exercise extreme caution and strictly follow all posted signage and instructions from on-site staff.
The Roads Section would like to thank the public in advance for their co-operation, patience and understanding as these essential improvements are carried out.
The cruise ship Azamara Pursuit will arrive in St Helena at 07:00 on Friday, 7 November 2025. There are approximately 777 passengers and approximately 380 crew on-board.
Approximately 301 passengers are booked on island tours. Tours will depart at 09:00 from Jamestown Wharf.
It is expected that the passengers will carry the following currencies: Euros, Dollars and GBP. Currency rate of exchange information is available from the Bank of St Helena and the Tourist Office.
There is a wide range of nationalities on-board, with the main nationalities being Australian, Canadian, British and American.
The Azamara Pursuit will depart St Helena around 18:00.
Temporary One-way Traffic System
The public are advised thata temporary one-way system will be in place in the direction of Gordons Post to Hutts Gate along Tomb Road on Friday, 7 November 2025, from 09:00 to 15:00.
Traffic wishing to travel in the opposite direction will be diverted from Hutts Gate to Gordons Post via The Dungeon, as per the map below:
The one-way system will be clearly signed and will be removed as soon as no longer required.
The one-way system has been put in place to safely manage traffic and ease congestion, given the anticipated increase in vehicle volumes due to the visit of the Azamara Pursuit cruise ship. This is the same process as has been put in place in previous years, and for the last cruise ship visit, and is likely to also be a feature during future cruise ship visits.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank the public for their understanding in this matter.
The Emergency Planning Department would like to advise that the St Helena Airport along with the St Helena Government (SHG) First Responders will be conducting a major incident exercise on Wednesday, 12 November 2025.
This is a pre-planned training exercise to test emergency response procedures. During this time, members of the public may notice activity at Bradleys Camp and emergency vehicles (with blue lights) travelling between Bradleys Camp and the airport.
Please do not be alarmed — this exercise is not a real emergency.
Members of the public are kindly asked to stay away from the area if possible to allow the exercise to proceed safely and without disruption.
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation while this essential training takes place.
Following the previous public announcement regarding the current outbreak, the Health and Social Care Portfolio (HSC) issues this advisory to provide clear and accurate information regarding the current increase in Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases, particularly concerning guidelines for returning to school and work.
About Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
HFMD is a very common, usually mild, viral illness that primarily affects children. It spreads easily through coughs, sneezes, touch, and poor hand hygiene. The illness usually resolves on its own within 7 to 10 days.
Symptoms generally include:
- Fever and sore throat
- Mouth ulcers
- Small blisters appearing on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
The severity of symptoms can vary widely, from a few blisters to a more unpleasant illness involving high temperature, muscle aches, and fatigue. Serious complications are extremely rare.
Management and Isolation Guidelines
Treating HFMD is the same as treating a common cold. There is no specific cure, however, simple pain relievers and fever reducers (like paracetamol or ibuprofen) may help manage the symptoms.
It is important to note the following official guidance:
- Isolation is not required for infection control reasons. Isolation measures have not been shown to be effective in reducing transmission of HFMD.
- Return to school/work is determined by well-being:
- If symptoms are mild and the individual feels well enough, they may attend school or work as normal, even if blisters are still present.
- If the individual is too unwell (e.g. due to high temperature, severe sore throat, muscle aches, or significant fatigue), they should stay home until they feel well enough to return.
- In the event of a widespread outbreak of a common illness there is no need to see a doctor for a sick note, even if they are off sick for more than three days. Please seek medical advice if you are worried about your child’s symptoms or medical well-being.
There is no need to wait for the rash to completely resolve before returning to normal activities if the individual is feeling better.
#StHelena #AltogetherHealthier #HFMD