MORE than 4000 road users have been caught by mobile police speed cameras in a crackdown on a section on the country's main route to the Highlands and the north-east.

The police traps led to penalties being imposed on 4206 drivers and motorcyclists on the A9 near Dunblane between July 2013 and last month.

The stretch was followed by the part of the M74 between Glasgow and Carlisle on a list of sites on major routes where mobile speed cameras have produced the most tickets in the same 12 months.

The second highest number of motorists was caught at junction 13 of the M74 near Abington, South Lanarkshire, with 2555 road users found to be going too fast there.

Third on the list was the southbound section of the A74(M) in Dumfries and Galloway, where 2433 speeding offences were racked up near Whicketthorn. 1233 speeders were caught near Torwood bridge at Junction 17 of the same road close to Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway.

The M80 Glasgow to Stirling road at Barnego Road bridge in Dunipace, Stirlingshire, completed the top five, with 1232 offenders.

Andrew McCulloch of Police Scotland said the force was happy to release information on mobile sites as it would not compromise their effectiveness.

But he said it would not release information on fixed-camera sites.

He said the public are aware there is not a camera in each fixed site all the time.but giving details of which cameras are active at any time are would cut their effectiveness in deterring motorists from speeding.

"The release of fixed speed camera data would give a clear indication of the level of enforcement at that site thus jeopardising the effectiveness of the camera, and furthermore would set a precedent for the disclosure of the same information at each site … which would severely prejudice the prevention and detection of crime and the apprehension or prosecution of offenders."