A CALL for improved safety measures after a fatal road crash at an accident blackspot near Tavistock was issued at an inquest held in the town last week. Coroner Elizabeth Earland heard Matthew Prete, 22, of Woolwell, died after his Suzuki 650cc motorcycle was in collision with a BMW at Gulworthy Cross just after 8pm on July 5 last year. The inquest heard Mr Prete was among a group of friends who had travelled out towards Tavistock on their motorbikes from Plymouth. One of the group, Mark Spiller, said the weather was fine that evening, although the riders were travelling into a low, setting sun, ?like a large orange glow? in front of them. As he approached Gulworthy Cross, he saw a green BMW emerging from the junction from the Bere Alston direction. Mr Prete, who was ahead of him, was ?hard on the brakes?, but the two vehicles collided. MPC Gary Looker who investigated the incident said no mechanical defects had been found in either vehicle. He told the coroner: ?It certainly seems that both the driver and car driver could have been behaving totally appropriately and the collision would still have occurred.? He said there had been eleven collisions at Gulworthy Cross over a three-year period, although this was the first fatal incident. In recording a verdict of accidental death, Dr Earland said she was satisfied the position of the setting sun could have been a ?significant factor? in the accident. She concluded: ?I shall be writing to the highways authority to ask them to review signage and lay out on this junction.? Just days after the accident last July, West Devon?s highways and traffic orders committee agreed a £235,000 roundabout should be built at Gulworthy Cross when funds become available, in an attempt to address accident statistics in the area.
