North East

Highways Agency Traffic Officers from Carville Outstation in Durham will be attending the Bike Wise event at Durham Police Headquarters, Akley Heads, on Sunday 27 July.

North East Traffic Officers Gavin Wilkinson and Rachael Caldwell will be taking along a fully equip traffic officer patrol vehicle and they will also be inviting people to come and talk to them at the Highways Agency's stand.

Gavin and Rachael will be on the stand throughout the day, between 10am and 5pm to answer questions and chat to visitors about how they work to keep drivers safe and on the move on the region's motorways and A roads. They will also be handing out free copies of the Highways Agency's very popular "Great Roads, Great Rides" DVD.

The DVD takes motorbike riders step by step through everything they need to know; from basic maintenance checks at the start of the season to riding out with a group. It looks at how to overtake and ride through bends safely so you don't get caught out and what to do if you're first on the scene of an accident involving another rider.

'Great Roads, Great Rides' is backed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), and features contributions by Cleveland Police, the Virgin Mobile Race Team and many other partners.

Traffic Officer Rachael Caldwell said: "Biking is a great pastime and becoming increasingly popular. We want riders to enjoy using our motorways and A roads in safety. Bike Wise is a great opportunity to promote motorbike safety and also explain to drivers the role of traffic officers and how we can help them."

Anyone heading to Bike Wise on Sunday 27 July is advised to plan their journey and allow extra time. Drivers and riders can find out more about traffic conditions by visiting http://www.highway.gov.uk, listening to Traffic Radio on DAB digital radio or by tuning in online at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk or calling the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30.

Bike Wise was launched in 1995 and nearly 15,000 visitors attend the one day event which includes a mini moto display, police helicopter, and custom and classic bikes show and many more attractions as well as providing general information about motorcycling safety

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NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England's motorways and major A roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. More information on the event can be found at http://www.durham.police.uk/bikewise

3. Real -time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is now available:

* From our new Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".

* On the internet at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo

* By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).

4. Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.

5. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary)

Issued on behalf of the Highways Agency by Jennifer Barker, HA Network Operations North East.

Client ref NE/NO/25/08

COI ref 163839P