Motorway stretch 'fastest in UK'

The A74(M) was clocked as having the highest average speed

A stretch of road on the border between Scotland and England has been named the "fastest" route in Britain.

The average speed on the A74(M) at Gretna is 72.2mph, according to a study over a 24-hour period by satellite navigation firm Trafficmaster.

That was faster than the speed recorded for the M6 Toll road in the Midlands.

The slowest A-road in the UK was also in Scotland, with an average speed of 13.9mph registered on the A818 Loch Lomond to Helensburgh road.

The speed registered for the Gretna stretch is more than two miles per hour above the limit for the area.

THE FASTEST ROUTES 72.2mph A74(M) Gretna 71.8mph M6 Toll 68.9mph M45 West Midlands 67.6mph M69 Coventry

The second fastest road was the M6 Toll in the West Midlands at 71.8mph.

The slowest motorway stretch was the A601(M) from Carnforth in Lancashire to the A6, with a speed of 35.5mph.

A spokesman for Trafficmaster, which specialises in digital traffic information, said it could use the details to enhance its systems.

"When you need to get from A to B, the key is knowing which roads to use, and when, for the quickest journey," said spokesman Philip Hale.

The A74(M) is the southernmost motorway in Scotland, running between Gretna and Abington.

It is linked to the M6 at Carlisle by a stretch of the A74 known as the "Cumberland Gap" which is currently being upgraded to motorway in a £175m project.

It is of concern to us that this average speed presumably takes into account slower-moving vehicles Insp Gordon McKnight

A speeding campaign on the route last year caught one driver at an average speed of 130mph.

A spokesman for Dumfries and Galloway Police said that there were a number of reasons why the speeds on the route would be high.

"These average speeds take into account the volume of traffic and, therefore, congestion," said Insp Gordon McKnight.

"This stretch of road, while being one of the main links between Scotland and England, is not near any large towns or cities and congestion is rare.

"However, it is of concern to us that this average speed presumably takes into account slower-moving vehicles."

He said the force monitored both driving offences and casualty numbers across the region before deploying officers and safety cameras.

He added that it was of concern that there continued to be a "blatant disregard" for speed limits.