The Scottish government has confirmed that £28m earmarked for road improvements will be used to replace the struggling Corran Ferry service in Lochaber.

The money was initially allocated for an upgrade of the Longman interchange on the A9, but councillors appealed to the Scottish government to change investment priorities.

The council said there was a "critical" need for improvements to the ferry service, which delivers 30,000 sailings annually, following lengthy outages last year.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison has now approved use of the funds for a new electric vessel, saying it would help reduce carbon emissions.

She added: “This funding will provide businesses and communities in Lochaber and Ardnamurchan with a reliable ferry service to enable them to thrive into the future.

"The new service will support the area’s vibrant visitor economy to drive jobs and economic opportunities across the Corran Narrows."

The Corran Ferry service is the busiest single-vessel ferry route in Scotland, allowing drivers to bypass a 42 mile (67km) detour.

Owned and operated by the council, the service carries over 270,000 cars each year, providing an essential connection for the peninsular communities of Ardgour, Sunart, Ardnamurchan, Moidart, Morar, Morvern, and the Isle of Mull.

The existing ferry, MV Corran, was withdrawn for maintenance in October last year with repairs delayed and a replacement vessel suffering a number of breakdowns.

Funding for the new service will be delivered through the £315m Inverness and Highland City Region Deal.

Additional investment in shoreside improvement will be funded by £20m from the UK government and £10m from the Highland Council.

Leader of the council, Councillor Raymond Bremner, said the transport link was crucial to economic stability and growth in both Lochaber and the Ardnamurchan Peninsula.

He said: "We have had to work really hard to come up with a sustainable solution to resolve the challenge that our ageing ferries running the route brings.

“It is hoped that we can implement and deliver the supporting infrastructure and the new ferry as quickly as possible now that the funding streams have been finalised."