Last updated at 17:04, Wednesday, 19 September 2012

IF you ever spot the distinctive green and blue livery of PC Mark Clark’s police motorbike looming in your rear view mirror, don’t even think about trying to out-run it.

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Because Cumbria Police’s latest weapon in the war against speeding motorists is a pretty powerful piece of kit.

Even a Porsche would have stood little chance had the driver – who was pulled over for allegedly using a mobile phone on the Coast Road near Ulverston – decided to put his foot down.

And with a top speed of 190mph, there will be few vehicles on the road capable of showing PC Clark a clean pair of heels on his Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R superbike.

But as well as being a useful pursuit tool, police are banking on the bike to help spread an important road safety message among motorcyclists.

J&L Motorcycles in Carlisle has loaned the Kawasaki – one of the fastest production motorbikes in the world – to the police in a bid to break down barriers between bikers and officers.

Motorcyclists make up just one per cent of all road users in the county, yet are 20 times more likely to be killed than their four-wheeled counterparts.

It is hoped the eye-catching bike will encourage bikers to approach police for a chat about issues facing motorcyclists.

Inspector Andy Wilkinson, who heads the Roads Policing Unit in the county’s north and west, said it had certainly proved a talking point among enthusiasts.

He said cutting the number of motorbike accidents on the region’s roads was one of the unit’s most pressing priorities.

“People see our normal police bikes day-in, day-out and they’re all the same, so if we have a superbike then it does get more interest from those harder to reach groups,” he said.

While the bike is mainly used for education purposes through the BikeSafe programme, it can be used operationally if officers spot anyone breaking the law.

“If they’re on the bike travelling between venues and events and transporting the bike around, they are asked to fulfil their obligations under the legislation, but it’s not a routinely deployed tactic,” Insp Wilkinson said.

The BikeSafe campaign is run by Cumbria County Council, North West Ambulance Service, Fire and Rescue and the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

First published at 16:16, Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk