Around 3000 drivers a day are breaking the speed limit at an A90 accident blackspot, road safety campaigners claim.

A 50mph speed limit was put in place in an effort to improve safety at the treacherous trunk road junction near Laurenckirk.

New figures compiled by local campaigners reveal that thousands of motorists break the speed limit there every day.

The survey, from the Villages in Control group, found more than 200 bus crossings across the A90 on weekdays, and 38 crossings by local heavy haulage vehicles.

Campaigners are concerned about safety at the notorious junction and are calling for a flyover to be built there.

Angus North & Mearns MSP Nigel Don said: "While I am grateful for the new slip road on the northern junction, this only addresses one part of the problem.

"The biggest issue is the crossing of the A90 by heavy traffic coming from Marykirk and elsewhere.

"This survey shows why the current arrangements are unsafe. Although there is a 50mph speed limit in place, I am told that 3,000 vehicles a day fail to respect it.

"Laurencekirk is, as the authors of the survey rightly say, a heavy transport hub, and I have no doubt that if a flyover existed, buses and lorries would use that rather than risk accidents by crossing at ground level."

Mr Don has passed the figures to Scottish Government Ministers and the Public Petitions Committee, which is due to consider the Laurencekirk junction issue again in coming weeks.

The petition, signed by 8000 people, calls for the Scottish Parliament to urge the government for safety improvements at the A90/A937 junction.

At a recent meeting of the petitions committee, North East Scotland MSP Mark McDonald said of the issue: "We might not get any action on grade separation in the immediate future but it would be helpful if we could find a compromise solution."