The number of bikers killed on Essex roads is continuing to rise.

Twenty-five have already died in crashes in the county this year - up on last year's total of 24 deaths with three months of the year still left.

The Government has announced it will investigate the rising death toll on Britain's roads after a two per cent rise in road deaths nationally in 2003, which included a 14 per cent rise in motorcyclist deaths.

Road Safety Minister David Jamieson said: "We are concerned about the slight rise in road deaths and are actively researching the causes of this, especially the reasons for the significant rise in motorcycle deaths. We will be publishing a motorcycling safety strategy shortly."

Great Wakering mototrcyclist Kevin Glover, who has been riding bikes since he was 16 and organises charity motorbike events, said he was not surprised by the figures.

"I have been to a few bikers' funerals this year and two in the last three months," he said.

"It is a case of motorists not seeing us. But I am not biased. I think the fault is 50/50. Motorists don't look enough and don't see us but motorcyclists also need to have self preservation."

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