Motorcycle safety features installed on A939 between Grantown and Nairn

At today’s meeting of Highland Council’s Badenoch and Strathspey Committee, Members approved the introduction of motorcycle safety features at six locations on the A939 between Grantown and Nairn.

PRIME (Perceptual Rider Information for Maximisation of Enjoyment and Expertise) signage and road markings have been successfully trialled throughout Scotland and have been shown to encourage positive behaviour change by motorcyclists. The road markings were designed as a series of ‘gateways’ to encourage safer riding in relation to appropriate speed, correct position on the road and minimal braking.

Chair of the Badenoch and Strathspey Committee, Councillor Russell Jones, said: “Motorcyclists represent a high proportion of casualties in road accidents, and it’s important that we do all we can to make our roads safer. I am proud that Highland Council is one of the first local authorities to introduce PRIME signage and road markings which will be installed on six bends on the A939 between Nairn and Grantown, in locations where motorcyclists are having collisions.

“Although there is no legal requirement for motorcyclists to comply, research has shown that PRIME signage and markings are readily adopted by riders and contribute towards positive behaviour change. They provide a tool for riders to adapt their behaviour on approach to a potential hazard, which plays a vital role in improving road safety and reducing road traffic accidents.”

The design, installation and site supervision costs will be fully funded by the current financial year’s Transport Scotland Road Safety Improvement Fund Grant.

The installation of the safety measures is also the final part of Highland Council’s wider Road Safety Route Treatment Improvement Scheme that has been delivered in 2025/26 on the A939 between Grantown and Nairn. The scheme consists of bend warning signage, verge marker posts and markings, and will now include additional motorcyclist interventions.