A COMMUNITY that witnessed a fatal motorcycle collision last week has added its voice to a region-wide road safety campaign.

As the Easter weekend gets underway, police forces in Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire are urging motorists to drive carefully in urban and rural areas.

Drivers are believed to be at an increased risk of a collision during the spring and summer. Statistics from Cleveland and Durham Road Policing Unit revealed 50 per cent of the 916 collisions involving illegal speeds between 2012 and 2016 occurred in daylight and fine weather.

The Durham Dales have long been a popular destination for recreation motorcyclists who are attracted to the quiet roads and stunning scenery.

However, both Teesdale and Weardale have witnessed serious and fatal motorcycle accidents over the years –the most recent taking place near St John’s Chapel in Upper Weardale last Sunday. Although the speeds of the bikes involved in this accident have not been confirmed, it has led to fresh calls for police officers to increase their efforts to educate riders on the perils of rural roads.

Parish councillor Dennis Craig, from Westgate, has been complaining about speeding motorcyclists for years.

“A couple of years ago Stanhope Parish Council bought its own speed gun and the first time they used it they clocked a motorcyclist doing 92mph and he was still accelerating,” said Cllr Craig.

“They slow down in the towns and villages but they speed up once they get out into the countryside and the police seem incapable or unwilling of doing anything about it. There are a lot of cyclists and walkers using these roads. It’s very dangerous.”

Sgt Simon Rodgers, of Durham Police, reassured residents that the force took the matter seriously. He said both neighbourhood teams would be working alongside officers from the road policing unit to further educate car drivers and motorcyclists and take enforcement action if necessary.

“My message to motorcyclists is to be cautious,” he said.

“These country roads have sharp corners and can narrow very quickly. Also, there are often dry stone walls on either sides and if a driver or motorcyclist hits them the consequences can be much worse.”

On Easter Monday, Durham and Cleveland Police will launch a weeklong campaign to tackle speeding. It will see high profile speed checks across both force areas.

Inspector Jon Curtis, of Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “The lighter nights and improving weather conditions will mean that children will be out playing later into the evening, which makes it even more pertinent that people keep a close eye on their speed and stick to the limits.”

North Yorkshire Police will also employ six new safety vans across the county to further reduce the number of collisions, deaths and serious injuries on the roads.

More safety advice for motorcyclists is available at bikewise.org.uk