A SURVEY by the AA has highlighted some of the region's worst roads for motorcycle-related deaths.

The AA Motoring Trust examined hundreds of primary roads in the country and singled out 149 where at least a third of fatal and serious accidents involved bikers. Several are in the North-East and North Yorkshire.

The AA is calling for engineering improvements on some stretches to make them safer and for more car drivers to "think bike".

Among the roads singled out for attention are the A172 between Middlesbrough and the A19 junction; the A184 between the A1 Western Bypass and Gateshead; the A66 Middlesbrough Ring Road North; the A170 between Thirsk and Scarborough; and the A59 between Harrogate and York.

Also included are the A68 between Darlington and the A69 in Northumberland; and the A19 between the A184 and the A1 at Seaton Burn.

The A172 had six fatal or serious accidents involving bikers from 2000 until the end of 2002.

Motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to be killed on the road than car drivers and make up one in six of all road deaths.

In North Yorkshire alone, 28 bikers died last year and its police force has already introduced a number of measures in a bid to cut the death toll.

John Dawson, director of the AA Motoring Trust, said it was accepted that an irresponsible minority of bikers caused problems for themselves - in some cases deliberately singling out "challenging" routes to ride at high speed.

But he said: "Bikers are very vulnerable, and they are grossly over-represented in UK casualty figures.

"Road engineers have a duty to examine the type of accidents which motorcyclists are having on certain roads, and they should be protected as much as possible, with better junction design, better road surfaces and improved crash barriers."