Safety calls after death crash

The victim's son, who was riding a second machine, witnessed the smash at the junction of Little Common Road and Sutherland Avenue.

The tragedy triggered calls for new safety measures in the area.

Barry King from Hastings was riding west on the A259 trunk road at 3.05pm pm on Sunday when his 800cc Honda machine was in collision with a Seat driven by a 72-year-old man from Essex.

The motorcycle impacted into the driver's side of the Seat.

The car driver was said to have been uninjured but badly shocked. Police and paramedics attended.

Mr King was declared dead on arrival at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings.

Police closed the trunk road and diverted traffic while an investigation team studied the scene.

Roadside flowers in tribute to the dead rider included a card with the inscription: "Baz, You will always be in our hearts, your smile will never die, Tony."

Another dedication read poignantly: "Miss you already! Your daughter Jane."

Yet another read: "Love you so much. I will miss you for eternity. Your fave niece Zoe."

Sergeant Nick Chambers of the Sussex Police Road Policing Unit at Bexhill is leading the investigation.

On Monday he appealed via the Observer for anyone with information to contact him at Bexhill police station on 0845 6070999.

Sergeant Chambers said: "The investigation is still in its early stages and our sympathies go to Mr King's family at this time.

"I am keen to hear from anyone who may have seen what happened."

A Sussex Ambulance NHS Trust spokesman said: "Two ambulances from Bexhill were sent to the incident, plus a paramedic response car.

"At the scene, ambulance crews treated the motorcyclist, an adult male, who had received very serious injuries.

"He was taken by ambulance to the Conquest Hospital, where he was unfortunately pronounced as deceased."

Police put witness appeal signs at the scene next to signs seeking witnesses to last Wednesday's collision, which occurred only a few yards to the west on Little Common Road.

A 26-year-old Hastings motorcyclist who was rescued by firefighters and paramedics from under an Austin Maestro last Wednesday was said this week to be showing signs of recovery in the Conquest Hospital, where he is being treated for multiple injuries.

Sergeant Niall Moloney is still appealing for witnesses to this accident.

He is particularly interested in hearing from anyone who may have seen a second motorcycle at the time.

Rother member Cllr Stuart Wood, who lives only a few hundred yards from the scene, this week called for safety improvements to the Little Common Road / Sutherland Avenue junction.

Visibility from Sutherland Avenue to the west is comparatively unobstructed. Visibility to the east is limited by a slight curve in the trunk road.

But he said: "We will always have problems with the A259 through Bexhill - whether it is the Greyhorses bends in Barnhorn Road, the Denbigh bends in Little Common Road or this junction - all the time heavy trunk road traffic goes through Bexhill.

"We need a bypass."