A LEADING councillor has called on motorcyclists to ride safely following the sixth death of a biker in the area this year.

Blandford football player Daniel Jones, 23, was killed in a crash on Sunday, May 26 when his blue and white Suzuki motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car on the A356 Maiden Newton.

Just days before, on Tuesday, May 21, 59-year-old Ivan Tomlinson from Andover, Hampshire, was killed following a collision between a Suzuki GSX and a Mercedes Sprinter van on Tuesday evening at the Horton Inn crossroads in East Dorset.

Dorset County Council cabinet member for environment, Hilary Cox, has now urged motorcyclists to keep safe.

She said: "Sadly, there have been a total of 10 fatal collisions on Dorset County Council's roads this year.

“Our thoughts are with the families at this time. Six of the casualties have been riders of powered two-wheeled vehicles. The causes of these tragic incidents are still under investigation by the police, but they are spread across the county with no discernible pattern.”

Those killed on two wheels on Dorset roads this year are Derek Collings from Bournemouth, who was killed on February 22 on the A350 near Blandford St Mary after a crash involving his Kawasaki motorbike.

On April 8, 29-year-old Richard King from Bridport sustained fatal injuries in a collision on the B3157 Burton Bradstock to Swyre road while riding his motorbike.

On March 29, 43-year-old Andrew Robert Fraser, from Basingstoke, died when his Yamaha motorcycle was in collision with a Nissan Micra on the B3390, just south of the A35 towards Affpuddle.

Across the border, 61-year-old Frank Bowen from West Howe died on May 3 after losing control of his Aprilia Tuono 998 on the A30 in Wiltshire.

16-year-old Jade Clark, from Ringwood, died on the A31 on February 24.

The crash sparked calls for a reduced speed limit on the road.

Cllr Cox said: “Our advice for motorcyclists is to look out for drivers, particularly at junctions and for drivers to look out for motorcyclists.

“There is the Dorset Police Bikesafe course that we contribute to help riders improve their defensive riding skills at bikesafe.co.uk. We also run driver courses to improve hazard awareness and defensive driving skills.”

Dorset Police Inspector Matt Butler, of the Force’s traffic section, called on drivers to pay attention at roundabouts and junctions earlier this month.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, the inspector said: “Make sure you have plenty of time to react to whatever unexpected events might occur.

“If you are talking on the phone or texting, you don’t have time to react if something happens, if you are drunk, you haven’t got time to react, or if you are driving too fast for the conditions.”

For more information, visit dorsetforyou.com/dorsetdriver