A section of the A9 is due to close next week to test new winter road treatments, but it will only be for four hours and not the five nights originally feared.

This will be for one two-hour period and for two one-hour periods during Thursday night, on a stretch less than four miles between the A9 Granish and A9 Lynwilg junctions near Aviemore The diversion is via the B9152.

A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said the road trial would test the performance of the current pre-wet salt treatments with that of a brine only treatment now being used in Scandinavia, other parts of Europe and the US.

"If successful it could lead to a more effective and resilient treatment of Scotland's roads. Given the nature of the trial, experts from Sweden, Switzerland and the UK's Transport Research Laboratory will be present, " she said.

Dave Thompson SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch said

"It is a cause of regret that Transport Scotland did not publicise this closure weeks ago so that the good folk of Badenoch could if necessary make alternate arrangements."

But he added

"I applaud the professional way the staff at Transport Scotland exercise their responsibility to provide safe infrastructure.This trial is an example of that engineering professionalism."