Police are trying to trace the final moments of an elderly woman who was knocked down on the outskirts of Perth.
It’s feared the 83-year-old may have become lost and disorientated when she walked on to the A9 at Inveralmond in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Emergency services were called to the scene of the accident just after 2.30am.
Police confirmed that the pensioner, whose name has yet to be released, died after being struck by an oncoming vehicle.
Investigators now want to know how she ended up on the bypass in the middle of the night. They are also trying to track down the driver of a white van seen in the area.
A force spokesman said: “About 2.25am on Sunday, Police Scotland responded to reports of a female pedestrian having been struck by a vehicle on the A9 between the Broxden and Inveralmond roundabouts.
“Sadly an 83 year old female was pronounced dead at the scene. Our thoughts are with her family at this time.
“Enquiries are still ongoing and officers are particularly interested in tracing the occupants of a white coloured transit type van which was seen in the area at the time.”
The southbound stretch of the route between Inveralmond and Broxden was closed off for more than six hours while collision investigators assessed the scene and tried to establish what happened.
Motorists were told to find alternative routes and warned to expect longer journey times.
The section was reopened just after 9am.
Police have so far declined to release any more details of the incident and would not confirm if it was being treated as a hit-and-run.
Officers want to hear from anyone who may have spotted an elderly woman walking on her own, prior to the accident.
Door-to-door inquiries were being carried out in surrounding residential areas on Sunday. CCTV footage from local businesses was also being checked.
Tayside Contract crews were posted at roadblocks at either size of the A9/A85 link road throughout the night.
The section has been the focus of millions of pounds worth of improvements as part of the Perth Transports Futures scheme, designed to unlock development land to the north of the city.
Police have urged any witnesses to the incident to call the non-emergency line on 101, quoting incident number 0672 of November 4.
