A FIVE-feet-high memorial for a biker who died on the A65 near Feizor has been removed on safety grounds.

The move came as local police told councillors at Bentham and Ingleton that fatal and serious road accidents in the area had risen by 71 per cent.

The memorial, similar to a gravestone, was placed on the verge at the side of the busy road at the Feizor bend between the Settle bypass and Austwick. It was removed last week by contractors from the Highways Agency due to safety fears.

A spokesman for the Agency said: "Due to its weight and size it was felt that if it was hit by another vehicle it could cause another serious accident.

"We do recognise that the family and friends are bereaved and we are always saddened when we hear about any death on our roads. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends, but we have to make public safety our main consideration.

"Eight thousand people use that road each day and we have a duty to protect those motorists. We are trying to get in touch with the family to explain why we have removed it."

The memorial commemorated 43-year-old Ray Salmon, of Nelson, a biker who was killed in an accident on Sunday August 3.

Councillors at Bentham quizzed Ingleton-based PC Harry Carpenter about the steep rise in fatal and serious road accidents, asking if it was mainly due to motorbikes.

PC Carpenter said: "There has been a lot of bikes recently and excessive speed has been a factor. They have lost it on bends and collided with walls or other vehicles. You only have to drive down the A65 to see what a sorry mess it is with all the flowers."

Four motorcyclists have been killed on Craven's roads since June.

On June 28 a 43-year-old father and his 15-year-old daughter were killed near Harden Bridge. Then, on August 3 a 41-year-old man died near Ribblehead when his Suzuki motorbike left the road. Mr Salmon died the same day.

A forum set up by Horton-in-Ribblesdale parish councillors to look at the issue of motorbikes is due to meet later this month. It brings together parish, district and county councillors, the Highways Agency, police and representatives of the British Motorcycle Federation.

Member Coun Wilf Fenten said since its last meeting the forum had encouraged local people to report all incidents, including near misses, to the police.

He added that informal surveys had been carried out on the exhausts of bikes parked at Settle, Ribblehead and Hawes, revealing that 40 to 50 per cent of machines were using illegal exhausts - a big concern as there is a fear it might invalidate the bikers' insurance.

The survey results would be reported to the next forum, said Coun Fenten. "It is not just the speed which is of concern. A lot of people in Ribblesdale complain about the noise too. It is the exhausts and anti-social driving like revving up through villages," he added.