'Slippery road' concerns after motorcyclist death

Paul Ransom died just months after getting married and was expecting his first child

The government must respond to a coroner's concerns about road resurfacing after a motorcyclist died in a crash with a lorry.

Paul Ransom, 25, died on a "very slippery" A272, near Langrish, Hampshire, on 24 May 2023, about six hours after it was resurfaced, the county's assistant coroner Henry Charles said.

Driving conditions were excellent and Mr Charles said the road's surface "caused or at least substantially contributed to the collision".

Mr Ransom, whose family said was "kind, loyal and always funny", married his wife Sophie in October 2022 and they were expecting their first child when he died.

In a letter sent to Lilian Greenwood, the minister for the future of roads, Mr Charles said there should be a review into what happens in the hours after resurfacing and what impact it has on road users' safety, especially motorcyclists.

He said he was concerned there was currently "no guidance that signage be provided", even though there was "the potential for unpredictable vehicle behaviour" on recently treated roads.

Mr Ransom, from Waterlooville, was riding about 5mph (8km/h) over the road's 40mph (64km/h) limit when he lost control of his Suzuki motorbike and crossed into the oncoming carriageway.

Mr Charles also sent his findings to the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) and the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA).

They each need to respond to his findings by 11 September.

Mr Charles' findings were also sent to Hampshire County Council.