MOTORCYCLISTS are being urged to attend events in Tamworth aimed at cutting the number of bike crashes.

The riders can visit one of six BikeSafe sessions being held throughout the county between March and June.

And two of the events will be staged in Tamworth.

The sessions include one-to-one riding assessments with a police motorcyclist and for the first time, a ladies' day.

In Tamworth, events will be held on Saturday, March 31 at Tamworth Yamaha, at the Riverside Estate, Fazeley, and on Saturday, June 2 at Suttons Motorcycles, 361 Watling Street, Wilnecote.

The BikeSafe initiative is a national programme run by police forces throughout the UK.

Staffordshire Police is among the few forces which provide the sessions for free.

Organiser PC John Edmondson said: "Education is the best way to reduce casualties on the county's roads, and that this service should be available to all people whatever their personal circumstances."

BikeSafe was initially designed to bridge the gap between passing a full motorcycle test and further training to an advance standard.

It was developed as a direct response to the nationally high number of crashes resulting in fatal and serious injuries that involve motorcyclists.

Statistics show that motorcycles make up one per cent of vehicles on the road but they account for about 26 per cent of casualties.

The first part of the scheme consists of a DVD presentation on areas of riding such as cornering, positioning, overtaking, junctions and hazard perception.

The second part gives an opportunity for riders to have a one-to-one riding assessment, carried out by a police motorcyclist.

This covers about 25 miles on different types of roads.

The event ends with feedback and a certificate of attendance.

For more details and a booking form, email PC John Edmondson at bikesafe.staffs@staffordshire.pnn. police.uk or call him at Staffordshire Police on 101.