Whitehouse Bridge in SwindonA SET of traffic lights at the junction where a motorbike rider was killed has not worked for months, according to police.

As reported in yesterday's late edition of the Adver, a 51-year-old Swindon man died on Sunday night after his motorbike collided with a car.

The accident happened at the Whitehouse Bridge, by the junction of Station Road and Corporation Street at 6.40pm.

Police are trying to establish how the collision happened and have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

Insp Richard Moorhouse, of Swindon traffic police, said the traffic lights could not be ruled out as the cause of the crash.

"The traffic lights haven't been working since they started the building works down there," he said.

"There are temporary signs in place for give way across Corporation Street.

"But the traffic lights haven't been working for some time.

"In any collision the whole area is looked at.

"When there is a serious collision of this nature as a routine matter we will look at the road layout and signage to see if there are any recommendations we need to make or whether they contributed to the incident themselves."

Police are also currently checking the two vehicles involved, a Kawasaki ZX 12R motorbike and a Mitsubishi Warrior.

Insp Wayne Smith, of Swindon traffic police, said: "We have been checking the vehicles over, making sure they are both roadworthy.

"We need to check the vehicles and make sure the brakes are working, things like that.

"I'm not saying they are not roadworthy but it is part and parcel of what we do."

A spokesman for Swindon Council declined to comment on the state of the traffic lights.

Geoff Lawrence said: "In this kind of situation we await the police report as to the cause of the accident.

"Until the report has been submitted it would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause.

"It is obviously very tragic and it's not appropriate to speculate at this stage between any two elements arguably that are in the process but are as yet unproven."

Police say they are still keen to trace the driver or any passengers of a car that was overtaken by the motorcycle as it travelled under Whitehouse Bridge just before the accident.

Anyone with information should call Swindon police on 01793 528111 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Gareth Bethell