Mayor of Sleaford calls for reduced speed limit on stretch of road to make it safer for drivers after fatal motorcycle crash

Lincolnshire Police say the rider was a Lincoln man in his 50s who was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the A15 between Leasingham and Holdingham just before 7pm on Thursday night.

His female passenger was airlifted to Queen’s Medical Centre where she remains with serious injuries.

The pair’s green Kawasaki motorcycle had been in collision with a silver Vauxhall Vectra, say police. The road was closed between Leasingham and Holdingham until 2.15am the following morning.

A police appeal says: “Anyone who was in the area and saw either the green Kawasaki motorcycle or the silver Vauxhall Vectra before the collision or saw the collision itself is asked to contact 101 and leave details.”

Although no conclusions can be made about the cause of the crash at this stage, there have already been calls for highways officials to re-examine the speed limit and force drivers to slow down on that stretch of road.

Mayor of Sleaford Grenville Jackson lives directly opposite the crash scene and was just leaving home at the time.

He said: “I made sure things were in hand and then headed off to my meeting. Coming back I had to have a long conversation with the police officers who told me I could not go home as they were concerned about preserving the scene and for people’s safety, but they eventually escorted us to our drive.”

He said he has contacted the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership to raise the issue of speed limits, he said: “At peak times, traffic heading south towards Holdingham Roundabout is crawling or at a standstill, but at off-peak times it is the national speed limit on that stretch, and often cars are coming in excess of that going south and coming north from the roundabout. There should be a 40mph limit from the roundabout to the northern end of Leasingham.”

Coun Jackson said he had seen many near misses due to the speed of the traffic and limited visibility.

He said: “Turning out of Leasingham the cars are immediately upon you coming round the bend from the right. There is a speed indicator sign to slow people down, but it needs to be a speed camera.”

He suggested something similar to the 50mph limit at Greylees on the A153 which he felt had made it a less dangerous junction. He added that queues from fast food outlets on the roundabout onto the road were causing problems.

“The whole thing needs looking at. The roundabout needs a flyover.” he said.