Concerns have been expressed about the riding of some motorcyclists along a rural road in Lancashire after a cyclist died in hospital at the weekend apparently following a collision with a motorcycle. Police are appealing for information.
The incident took place at 2.20pm on Sunday afternoon on Rivington Road near Belmont, north west of Bolton. The male victim, aged 43 and from Billinge, near St Helens, was taken by air ambulance to Preston Hospital but died there of his injuries.
A 20-year-old motorcyclist, thought to be from Bolton, sustained injuries to his face and was taken to Salford Royal Hospital for treatment.
According to The Bolton News, it is thought that the biker was riding his white and orange Yamaha motorcycle uphill and lost control of it on a bend, taking him into the path of the cyclist.
Sgt Claire Pearson, of Lancashire Constabulary’s Road Policing Unit, said: “We are trying to establish how this collision occurred.
“We know there were several people in the area at the time, both on foot and in vehicles and so I would ask anyone who witnessed the collision to contact us.”
Local residents told The Bolton News they were worried about the riding of some bikers on the road.
One said: “We’re used to accidents around here. They’re very common – especially with motorbikes.
“A lot of the riders head to Rivington Barn on that road.
“Unfortunately that’s when people end up seriously hurt. It’s very sad,” she added.
“We saw the air ambulance overhead and all of the police cars,” said a second local.
“It’s a very dangerous road and these accidents seems to be happening more often.”
Similar concerns about the location in question were expressed in the comments to the article on The Bolton News website.
“Belmont's not the best place to be if [your’re] out on your push bike or out on a family drive etc,” said one. “I've even noticed photographers around Belmont taking pics of motorbikes in hope they find the image on-line and buy it….completely irresponsible as it encourages crazy driving (I've witnessed the wheelies myself).”
Another commenter wrote: “RIP to the man, from a fellow cyclist. Belmont is an ideal place for cycling. It says absolutely nothing at the present time as to the motorcyclist's manner of riding, but all [too] often you see motorcyclists riding like complete idiots along Rivington road, especially on Sundays. I myself have passed two motorcyclists lay on the ground receiving medical treatment for broken bones and cuts and bruising.”
Anyone who witnessed Sunday’s incident or who has any information about it is asked to contact PC 1301 Harris at Lancashire Police on 101, quoting log number LC-20140921-0844 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
22 thoughts on “Safety concerns after cyclist dies following crash with motorcycle”
A well known figure in local
A well known figure in local cycling circles apparently (he was a close mate of a friend of mine) everyone who knew him is, understandably, devastated.
Yet again someones disregard for anyone else’s safety in pursuit of their own enjoyment strikes down someone just minding their own business.
Sometimes my stomping ground,
Sometimes my stomping ground, very very sad.
I have to say a lot of the bikers are onky and give you loads of room but far too many scream past like you are not there…it’s not very nice.
“It’s a very dangerous road
“It’s a very dangerous road and these accidents seems to be happening more often.”
When will people get it into their heads that no road is dangerous. It’s the standard of driving/riding that is dangerous. This stupid mentality only serves to make excuses for ‘accidents’ that then happen and downplays the responsibilities of those involved.
Sympathies go to the family of the dead guy. 🙁
andybwhite wrote:When will
By themselves, most roads aren’t dangerous. But this person was clearly referring to the road and the traffic it carries.
Peowpeowpeowlasers
There you go, you’re doing it too. You’re depersonalising the message by talking of traffic.
It’s the drivers/riders that are dangerous, to call them something else is to frame a story which deflects the responsibility of individuals.
There’s old motorbikers and
There’s old motorbikers and bold motorbikers but there’s no old bold motorbikers.
Sadly in this case its the cyclist who is no more.
I love pushing a motorcycle
I love pushing a motorcycle to the limit of my ability. On the track!
There’s riding quick and within ability, road conditions, and traffic. Then there’s riding too fast, like in this case.
Condolences to family and friends of the deceased. Sounds like a completely unnecessary incident 🙁
I know details are still
I know details are still sketchy but it’s my understanding that the poor guy was actually marshalling the Bolton Bash ride. His club St Helens CRC held a well attended memorial for him at a local church last night and held a 2 minute silence. Deepest sympathies to his family and all who knew Dave Hitchins- RIP chap.
Every cyclist knows the
Every cyclist knows the thrill of going so fast you’re barely in control. On a motorbike, that is available all the time, not just on descents. It’s why I gave up motorcycling. Some people just can’t control themselves.
Very sad indeed, my
Very sad indeed, my condolences to the family.
Very sad news especially if
Very sad news especially if he was marshalling the Bolton Bash.
I won’t be riding the event again. Well organised but the route was too busy and dangerous in places. A motorcycle went for an overtake from behind a van just prior to Belmont missing me by inches. Maybe the same idiot?
This was after numerous cars ‘skimmed’ cyclists ahead of me and myself on the route.
I rode over Belmont myself on
I rode over Belmont myself on Sunday morning and ride over there just about every week as a local loop and it is very common to get motorcyclists and car drivers riding/driving like utter f****ing idiots.
Very very sad news indeed. I know people who were on the Bolton bash and saw plenty of people out cycling on Belmont at weekend.
Some years ago out on a
Some years ago out on a sunday ride I was very close passed by two motorcycle eejits who must have been riding at 120+mph. They scared the shit out of me. I have been close passed on blind bends by these fuckers who are riding at mad speeds. About 5 years ago a moron on a sports bike pulled a wheelie along Kings Parade in front of Kings College in Cambridge. The selfish inconsiderate fuckers who dangerously ride powerful sport motor bikes at such insanely lethal speeds on public roads deserve to die, preferably by hitting a large immovable object such as a big solid wall.
RIP the poor cyclist that was killed.
Rivington Road is Sustrans
Rivington Road is Sustrans Route 91. Marked on the OS map with a bunch of green “here be cyclists” dots.
Nothing annoys me more than drivers/riders of motor vehicles speeding on a route which is used all the time by cyclists – it isn’t even that they have the (pathetic) excuse that they weren’t expecting a bicycle.
Edgeley wrote:Rivington Road
Because motorists and motorcyclists are forever consulting OS maps. 8|
How many of them have even heard of Sustrans?
(That’s not to excuse them, but it seems that more effective policing or traffic control might help here)
I have been run off the road
I have been run off the road by a motorcyclist on that very stretch of road. However I have also been pushed into the gutter by cyclists riding too fast for the road and conditions. This was a tragic accident but hopefully all road users will use some common sense and courtesy and honour the memory of Dave by riding/driving sensibly and enjoy the country roads around Belmont together in harmony. RIP Dave.
If irresponsible and
If irresponsible and dangerous use of that road is so well known then is it well policed & often?
Sounds to me like it isn’t. Collisions and fatalities only mark where stupid riding/driving went wrong. what’s needed is strong and frequent policing at known spots like this to try and prevent tragic and needless events like this.
If the motorbike rider was riding badly then I hope the key is thrown away frankly.
Riding home to Leeds from
Riding home to Leeds from York on Sunday it was hell. We had an organised cycle event coming towards us, motorbikes passing between cyclists at well over 60mph, over taking on blind corners, no wonder there are warning signs all along those roads.
Sad news, clearly condolences
Sad news, clearly condolences to the family. Hopefully this will result in some visual improvements on that stretch!
Another needless loss
Another needless loss stickered up as ‘an accident’. Sincere wishes to all those involved.
So we turn to our cycle friendly politicians and we collectively ask why they continue to sit on their hands and allow a daily onslaught to go unchecked.
Why is anything on the road an accident suggesting no real blame when in any other real world scenario there are charges and criminal sanctions?
I must have been fortunate,
I must have been fortunate, I’ve never been in a near miss or scrape with a motorcycle, sure, I’ve seen them put their self at risk, they’ve scared the shit out of me with the instant noise on a quiet road and I don’t like the fumes, but preferable to the arseholes in cars passing within 2 inches of your bars who are the biggest and by far the most frequent issue for me.
This incident is very sad, condolences to family and friends of the cyclist.
I’ve been up that way a
I’ve been up that way a couple of times recently and there definitely seems to have been an increase both in the number of bikers and the risks they are taking. One biker overdid it on a corner and came off right in front of me.
Condolences to friends and family.