Drivers still hitting 130-plus on deadly stretch of the A90

Drivers have kept their foot to the floor racking up dangerous speeds along one of Tayside’s deadliest roads.

The figures reveal speeders have hit as much as 131mph on the A90 between Dundee and Stonehaven even since Covid-19 exerted its grip.

And speeds of more than 90mph were detected in the 50mph zone around the blackspot Laurencekirk junction.

Police have condemned motorists who are still prepared to drive at nearly twice the legal limit.

It comes as data also showed overall speeding offences on the 51.5-mile stretch plummeted during full lockdown and the months following.

Freedom of Information figures for the period from the beginning of the coronavirus crisis in March to the end of November show the top ten recorded speeds on the 70mph average speed cameras zone were all above 120mph.

The 10 highest speeds through the short 50mph section past the Mearns town around the A90/A937 junction ranged from 83 to 93mph.

The speeding league of shame emerged after the total number of offences almost halved between April and September.

Published statistics showed 1,626 drivers caught over the 70mph limit, leading to 513 fixed penalty notices (FPNS) and 86 reports to the procurator fiscal.

During the same period in 2019, 3,185 offences were recorded, resulting in 1,784 fixed fines and 676 drivers reported to the courts.

Over the 50mph Laurencekirk section, a tally of 4,604 offences in 2019 fell to 1,301.

FPNS were down from more than 3,000 to just 430 and only 70 cases were sent to the courts in comparison to 979 the previous year.

Sergeant Paul Taylor, of Perth Road Policing Division, said: “Travelling at these speeds is unacceptable.

“Whether detected by mobile cameras, average speed cameras or police patrols, people driving at these excessive speeds will be dealt with appropriately.

“Speeding of this magnitude is extremely dangerous, both to the driver and other road users.

“It’s important to remember, the A90 between Dundee and

Stonehaven is a dual carriageway used by all types of vehicles, including tractors and other agricultural vehicles.

“It has a number of junctions and cross-overs – all of which increases the inherent dangers and likelihood of serious or fatal injuries if a collision occurs from drivers grossly exceeding the speed limit.”

North East Conservative MSP Liam Kerr said: “The data highlights the need for the long-awaited Laurencekirk gradeseparated safety works.

“We have been waiting on the Scottish Government to make good on the permanent solution for almost 17 years now.

“These new figures show that danger is just as present now as it was in 2004.”