The 10-mile section of the North Coast 500 where average speed cameras have gone live

Motorists driving a stretch of the North Coast 500 are to face temporary speed cameras, after authorities announced plans to cut down on speeding in the area.

Average speed cameras - the first in the Highlands to use renewable energy - have been installed on a 10-mile section of the route between Thurso and Reay, following reports of speeding and increased traffic on the A836.

This comes as a section of the NC500, which is often voted the best driving route in the UK, is set to be closed for eight weeks from this month. The Bealach na Ba, which leads to Applecross, is set to close in the evenings and overnight during September and October. The closure is being implemented to allow fish farm company Bakkafrost to install a private wire on the route to provide electricity to its hatchery in Kishorn. Police Scotland's North Safety Camera Unit said it was using renewable energy technology on the route to allow installation of cameras in areas where it was previously not possible to do so.

Scotsman

Unit manager Eric Dunion said: "Our priority is firmly focused on helping to reduce road casualties and improving road safety by slower motorists down and making them think about their driving behaviours.

"The introduction of these new temporary cameras on the A836 will hopefully do just that."

Average speed cameras, which measure the speed of vehicles as they travel between two points, have been in operation on the A90 between Aberdeen and Dundee for some time. Figures released last year found 8,430 speeding motorists were detected by the cameras on the 51.5-mile stretch this year up until the end of October.

Similar cameras were also set be installed on the A82 at Luss earlier in the summer.