A MOTORCYCLE accident which killed father-of-three Philip Soper, of Chudleigh Knighton, two weeks ago on the A382 between Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead, has reignited demands for improvements to be introduced along a tricky stretch of road. Locals have been struck by the eerie similarity of the latest accident to one which killed a 26-year-old man from Ashburton two years ago. It happened at roughly the same time of year, same time of day and on exactly the same stretch of road. Both motor cyclists were travelling towards Moretonhampstead and hit vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. On both occasions the weather conditions were good. James Puddicombe was killed immediately after he and his 500cc Triumph Daytona bike became trapped under a Ford Mondeo, which then burst into flames. The accident happened at 5.20pm on March 16, 2004, close to the East Wrey Barton Hotel. On April 27, at 6.24pm, Philip Soper's Aprilia 1100 racing bike was in collision with a Nissan X trail at the same spot. Sarah Brewer, of Moorland Cottage bed and breakfast, a few hundred yards away, rushed to the scene when she heard the crash. She was one of those who comforted Mr Soper while waiting for a helicopter to arrive to airlift him to hospital. She said the motorcycle was in collision with the passenger side of the 4x4 at the end of a straight section where the road rises and bends to the left. Now residents are wondering if both riders were blinded by low sun. 'The sun is really low. Nobody is ever going to know what happened. The only thing I can think is there was low sun coming over the top of the valley,' she said. Referring to the road as 'the seven bends of death', Mrs Brewer said: 'Bikes just race up and down this road, particularly Sundays when you get the motor bike clubs.' Richard Reeves, of Pound House, close to the accident site, also ascribed to the sun theory, wondering if the motorcylists were momentarily blinded and failed to see the oncoming vehicle. Mr Reeves knows someone who was overtaken by Mr Soper shortly before the accident, who said he was not travelling particularly fast. Mr Soper's family have insisted that he was a careful driver. After the 2004 fatality, Mr Reeves organised a petition to get the speed limit reduced from 60mph to 30mph but, despite support from Richard Younger-Ross, Teignbridge MP, nothing happened. Now he has written to residents urging them to press for action and to Mr Younger-Ross canvassing his support. His campaign has the backing of Lustleigh Parish Council. On Wednesday, he met road safety officer Nigel Flower and PC Martin Harknell, traffic manager and casualty reduction officer, to inspect the two-mile stretch in question between Kelly Farm and Riverside Farm. 'It is a tortuous stretch of road with many single track sections and 10 bends, some of them blind. 'At 60mph it is outstandingly dangerous. At 30 mph it would be less so,' he said.
