The Scottish transport minister Derek MacKay has suggested that average speed check cameras could be introduced across more roads after winning unexpected support from the general public.

Mr MacKay said: “The A9 shows public opinion has changed. The principle is now far better established. Average speed cameras, if deployed in the right places, can help assist road safety. Extra journey times are a price worth paying for a safer route.”

The cameras cover an 80-mile stretch of the single carriageway between Perth and Inverness.

Since the introduction of the cameras, only 298 drivers were detected speeding over a three-month period, compared to 2,493 in the same months of 2013. Only one person has died on the notorious road since the cameras’ arrival, further suggesting that they are an effective road safety tool.
Mr MacKay said that routes suitable for average speed checks would be considered on a case-by-case basis.