Police launch Operation Apex motorcycle safety campaign after rise in serious rider crashes
Avon and Somerset Police is increasing patrols, enforcement and rider engagement throughout June as part of a nationwide campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle casualties.
Avon and Somerset Police are stepping up patrols and enforcement activity throughout June as part of a nationwide motorcycle safety campaign aimed at reducing the number of riders killed or seriously injured on UK roads.
The initiative, called Operation Apex, comes as new figures reveal that powered two-wheelers were involved in 39 per cent of all fatal or serious injury collisions in the force area during 2025, despite motorcycles representing only a small fraction of road users overall.
Officers from the Roads Policing Unit, Neighbourhood Policing Teams and Speed Enforcement Unit will spend the month carrying out targeted patrols on known high-risk routes, engaging with riders and motorists, and taking action against dangerous road behaviour.
The campaign arrives ahead of the peak summer riding season, when warmer weather typically sees motorcycle numbers increase on both commuter routes and popular rural roads.
According to Avon and Somerset Police, 46 motorcyclists have lost their lives within the force area since 2022. Nationally, motorcyclists account for around a quarter of all fatal and serious injury road collisions despite making up only one to two per cent of road traffic.
While excessive speed, poor overtakes and loss of control remain factors in many incidents, police say a significant number of serious collisions occur because riders simply aren't seen by other motorists.
Roads Policing Inspector Matt Boiles said:
"Motorcyclists and other two-wheel users remain some of the most vulnerable people on our roads and the consequences when things go wrong can be devastating.
"We know many riders are highly skilled and safety conscious, but even the most experienced rider is vulnerable if they are not seen by other road users."
The force says Operation Apex is intended as much as an educational campaign as it is an enforcement exercise. Officers will be speaking to riders about road positioning and observation while also reminding drivers to pay greater attention at junctions, during overtakes and when pulling out into traffic.
Motorists are being encouraged to look twice for motorcycles, check mirrors and blind spots carefully and leave sufficient space when overtaking. Police are also promoting the use of the "Dutch Reach" method when opening vehicle doors to help prevent collisions with passing cyclists and motorcyclists.
Alongside the enforcement campaign, riders are being encouraged to take part in the Raise Your Ride scheme, which offers advanced rider training and assessments delivered by police-trained instructors in partnership with Somerset Road Safety.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
