THOUSANDS of bikers preparing to travel to the region for the tenth round of the British Superbike Championship were yesterday warned to slow down and stay safe.

The championship will be held at Croft racing circuit, near Darlington, on August 13, 14 and 15.

Police officers and council officials have teamed up to warn motorcyclists coming to watch the action that they are welcome as long as they ride within the law.

In the past five years, there have been 93 fatal accidents involving motorcyclists in North Yorkshire.

So far this year, 11 people have lost their lives.

The latest was on Sunday, when 39-year-old Kevin Peacock, from York, died after an accident on the B1222.

He was travelling from Cawood towards Stillingfleet when his Honda X11 was involved in an accident with a Suzuki TSXR, which was being ridden in the opposite direction.

Speaking yesterday, North Yorkshire road policing inspector Chris Charlton said: "We need to emphasise the damage that these machines can do to people and the damage that they can do to the people that they leave behind.

"We are very conscious that what we do not want to do is to alienate ourselves from the biking community. At the end of the day, we want to welcome motorcyclists to North Yorkshire, but that comes with a warning that you ride within the law or we will take very firm and decisive action."

David Lindsay, from North Yorkshire County Council's road policing group, said: "We just want to tell the thousands of bikers who will be coming to Croft in two weeks' time that they are very welcome, and we look forward to seeing them here, but to stay safe at the same time."

The county council and the police launched a campaign four months ago to reduce the number of bikers killed and seriously injured on North Yorkshire's roads.

They are running a strict enforcement regime and said they will fast-track serious speeding offenders through the courts.

Biker Dave Stavenau, who works in the council's road safety department, said he believed the message was getting across.

He said: "People are starting to realise that they are not invincible."