Drivers racked up more than 9,600 offences last year on a busy north-east road.

New average speed camera data for the A90 Dundee-Stonehaven stretch shows around 26 offences a day were detected during 2018.

The highest speed recorded on the 50-mile route was 132mph.

Safety Cameras Scotland released the latest figures for October to December, but the statistics show for the whole of last year there were 9,643 offences, with 5,942 drivers receiving fixed-penalty notices.

It means £594,200 has been generated from the fixed-penalty notices of £100 each. If a fine and penalty points is ignored, or a driver is caught speeding excessively, the matter can be referred to the procurator fiscal.

Latest figures showed 1,886 people were reported to the procurator fiscal.

The average speed cameras have been in operation since the end of October 2017, with statistics released quarterly.

Politicians said they will only know the success of the average speed cameras when collision statistics are revealed.

The quarter for October to December 2018 shows a rise in offences and fines issued from the same period in 2017.

Offences almost trebled from 534 two years ago to 1,495 last year, with 638 fines and penalty points in 2018 compared to 344 the previous year.

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North East Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said: “These numbers tell us how many people have driven too fast, and how many fines have been paid, but they don’t tell us about any change in the numbers of collisions and of casualties.

“Only when we know those numbers will we know whether or not the introduction of average speed cameras has been a success.”

North East Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Rumbles said: “What people want to know is whether the average speed cameras are stopping accidents and saving lives.”

He added: “I have asked the minister to provide that information but so far he has refused.

“It is clear that average speed cameras have not been the cheap and easy silver bullet that the Scottish Government had hoped. We desperately need long-term investment in safety on the A90, particularly on improving bad junctions where poor visibility and driver frustration can cause accidents.”

Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson said: “This stretch of the A90 is the most active for speed cameras in Scotland.

“I think anyone who drives that road will know how average speed works by now. It is plain the majority of speeders merit a fine rather than a court appearance.”

Chief Inspector Stewart Mackie, road policing commander for the area, said: “The average speed camera network on the A90 has led to a dramatic increase in compliance by drivers on the stretch between Dundee and Stonehaven since it became operational, and a reduction in fatal and serious injury collisions and the inevitable road closures.

“Our officers in patrol vehicles now have more time to focus on other road safety priorities that cameras alone can’t pick up such as drink and drug driving, and travelling criminals using the roads for their illegal activities.

“We know that inappropriate speed is one of the ‘fatal four’ factors and so the vast majority of motorists who are now watching their speed are helping to keep themselves and the wider travelling public safe.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Safety cameras are aimed at improving driver behaviour.

“Better speed limit compliance leads to fewer camera detections, fewer speeding offences and fines for drivers, and ultimately fewer people being killed or injured on Scotland’s roads.

“Before average speed cameras were introduced on the A90, 3-in-5 vehicles were speeding.

“Now 99-in-100 vehicles are complying with the speed limit on the A90.

“The £2m investment in average speed cameras on the A90, between Dundee and Stonehaven, has already helped to significantly improve driver behaviour and speed limit compliance on the route.

“This adds to the growing evidence base of the effectiveness of average speed cameras, with notable long-term improvements in road safety already seen on the both the A77 and A9.

“The operations of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme are funded by grant from Scottish Ministers.

“The Safety Camera Units, Police Scotland and the Scottish Safety Camera Programme do not receive any revenue from speeding or red-light fines.”