DRIVERS on Scotland's notorious A9 road are expected to benefit from £18.5 million of spending on safety works and maintenance over the next two years.

The cash comes on top of more than £137 million which has been spent on the road - which links Perth with Inverness - since 2007.

That money has funded work to improve junctions and overtaking opportunities, as well as covering ongoing maintenance, with the bulk of the cash coming from the Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland.

Members of the A9 Safety Group - which includes Transport Scotland as well the police, the Road Haulage Association and others -informed MSPs about the work being done on the busy road.