A MAJOR crackdown on extreme speeding on the roads of North Yorkshire is bearing fruit - but the announcement was marred by another motorcycle fatality.

Police report that there is less speeding taking place since they launched their hardline enforcement policy earlier this year.

The initiative was launched in an attempt to cut the number of serious motorcycle accidents on the county's roads.

However, as yesterday's announcement was made police confirmed that a man from West Yorkshire died early on Sunday night when his Suzuki was involved in a collision with a car on the A59 road, near Skipton.

The man was last night named as John Sutcliffe, aged 51, from Todmorden.

The death takes the number of motorcyclists killed in the county this year to eight. By this time last year 11 riders and one pillion passenger had died.

Since the hardline policy was launched, 190 drivers and riders have been caught exceeding speed limits by more than 30mph.

They are being put before courts within an average of 31 days from being caught by one of the force's extra patrols and speed traps, while some have found themselves before magistrates within ten days.

So far, 86 riders and drivers have been convicted. Eleven motorcyclists and 18 drivers have been banned and further cases are in the pipeline.

One motorcyclist has been convicted of riding at 116mph, and one car driver convicted of driving at 114mph, both on the A1.

A motorcyclist recorded at 134mph awaits trial for dangerous driving and a driver has been caught at 79mph in a 40mph zone.

Police are so encouraged by the results that the fast-tracking policy has been extended, and will operate across the county until September 30.

But Assistant Chief Constable David Collins said there was no reason to celebrate the results.

"The bottom line is that every single serious road accident has its own growing circle of victims," he said.

"The victims are not only the people killed or badly hurt, but their partners, their children, their parents, their friends, their workmates, and many others.

"The circle of grief and loss expands rapidly and mercilessly from every road accident.