A LOCAL council has banned parking on a popular stretch of the NC500.

A temporary clearway order has been put in place on the A836 between Melvich and Reay after it was deemed that vehicles left parked on the stretch constituted a “hazard”.

Highland Council said the volume of vehicles recently spotted on the road meant the one-week ban on parking was necessary.

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The order is in place on the A836 Dornoch Bridge to John O’Groats road from a point 1150 meters east of the U1807 Bighouse road junction to a point 1000 metres west of the layby at Drumhollistan.

It will be in place from April 3 until April 10.

A spokesperson for Highland Council said: “The clearway has been implemented due to the volume of parked vehicles on the verge and the road.

“They were deemed a hazard on the main road.”