TODAY the Evening Press relaunches its Arrive Alive campaign to curb the growing number of motorcyclists killed on North Yorkshire's roads.

We have stepped up a gear after accidents claimed the lives of three riders in the last three weeks.

Government figures released yesterday have revealed that the region was one of the worst in the Yorkshire and Humber area for motorcycle accidents in 2000.

Seventeen riders were killed and 436 were injured.

That grim toll is rising again this year after a spate of recent tragedies.

Five motorcyclists have been killed in the last month, with three dying in the last three weeks.

Only yesterday, two bikers were badly hurt in an accident, near Eggborough.

Richard Bentley, a North Yorkshire police traffic management officer, said the number of accidents involving motorcyclists was worrying.

Backing our campaign, he said: "We welcome any initiatives to encourage drivers to appreciate safety on our roads and Arrive Alive. Families have to live with the cost of these deaths for many years."

PC Steve Bushby, a police motorcyclist for 19 years, challenged the perception that bikers were overwhelmingly to blame for accidents.

He said: "I would think a good bike rider is safer than a good car driver."

PC Bushby was speaking as the Government launched a new publicity campaign to target motorcyclists and road users.

Costing £1.5 million, the TV campaign aims to encourage motorcyclists to ride so that they can be seen and to heighten drivers' awareness of motorbikes.

Road safety minister David Jamieson said: "We have a dual message; that drivers need to look out for bikes, and motorcyclists need to maximise their safety by riding carefully and ensuring that they can be seen."

Meanwhile, the boss of a motorcycle riding school rocked by a tragic accident, last weekend, is also backing our drive to make the roads safer.

Ian Lee, general manager of BMF Rider Training Scheme, pledged his support to our relaunched campaign.

Last Sunday, Michael Patrick Gooch, 50, of Filey, died when part of the training group he was with collided with a car on the A166, near Dunnington.

Mr Reed runs the Bridlington training school which took Mr Gooch on his fateful journey.

He said: "Sunday's incident has left everyone quite shocked. It's the first problem we have had in nearly 30 years. There are far too many motorcycle accidents on the road at the moment. Anything we can do to cut this has got to be welcomed."

Updated: 11:43 Thursday, May 02, 2002