More drivers are caught speeding by safety camera units in the north-east than any other region in Scotland, new figures have shown.
Since the start of 2016, there have been more than 42,700 speeding offences detected by safety camera units across roads in the Grampian region, with only the Tayside region coming close at around 41,300.
Safety Cameras Scotland use fixed speed, mobile and average speed cameras to crack down on dangerous drivers.
And the A90 as it travels through Grampian has been identified as the most likely route in the country for safety camera units to catch out motorists going too fast, with more than 32,200 incidents noted over the past three years.
The second-worst route for detected speeding was again the A90, but as it travels through Tayside, according to freedom of information figures obtained by the Press and Journal.
Calls have been made by a safety campaign group for “urgent investigation” into “red flag” roads with particularly high incidences of offending.
Neil Greig, policy and research director at the driving safety charity IAM Roadsmart said Grampian’s high frequency of reported incidents was “worrying”.
He said: “IAM Roadsmart are surprised by the variation in numbers of drivers caught by safety camera units across Scotland.
“We would have expected Lothian and Strathclyde to be the highest, so Grampian’s position at the top of the table is worrying.
“The A90 has been the target for many speed camera campaigns over the years and has always been intensively covered which might explain the numbers and certainly helps justify the recent introduction of average speed cameras on part of the route.”
He added: “At IAM Roadsmart we believe that the best speed cameras catch no one as they are there to slow traffic down.
“Huge numbers being caught should be a red flag for urgent investigation to ensure that the right speed management measures are being used at each location.”
Other roads with particularly high numbers of recorded speeding offences include the A9 as it goes through the Highlands, where there have been more than 16,400 incidents since 2016.
Liam Kerr, the shadow justice secretary for the Scottish Conservative party and north-east regional MSP said: “It is disappointing that so many drivers on the A90 continue to drive at excessive speeds.
“All motorists need to be mindful of their speed, as it can be a major factor in many accidents.”
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin added: “These figures are concerning and I am disappointed to see the number of people speeding in the Grampian area.
“I would urge all road users to drive safely and cautiously, particularly on the A90.”
Figures released by Police Scotland earlier this month showed there were 9,630 people caught speeding by the average speed cameras on the A90, which were installed to apply the brakes to dangerous drivers.
Prior to their introduction on the A90, Transport Scotland said three in five vehicles were over the limit, but that figure has since been reduced to just one in 100.
A spokeswoman for the North Safety Camera Unit said: “Following the installation of the average speed cameras along the A90 in October 2017, speed compliance is significantly improved.
“However, we would urge all drivers to ensure that they are following and adhering to the speed limits that are in place along the road.
“Travelling at speeds in excess of the legal speed limit is either a conscious decision by the driver, ignorance, or a lack of attention to the task – all of which are equally dangerous not just to that person, but to all road users.
“This is unacceptable no matter how much over the speed limit a driver is travelling.”
