Rider killed braking for a speed camera

A motorcyclist was killed after braking too hard for a speed camera, a coroner said.

Timothy Rowsell, 64, was doing at least 78mph on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 as he approached the speed camera van on a 50mph road.

The camera operator, the only eyewitness to the crash, said she saw smoke coming from the bike’s tyres before Rowsell, a married father-of-two, fell and struck the crash barrier.

A driver who Rowsell passed shortly before the crash on the A338 in Bournemouth in April said he had been riding sensibly.

The inquest into the death concluded it was an accident.

District coroner Sheriff Payne said: “I can only conclude that he has [braked] in response to the presence of the safety van. No other person or vehicle was involved.”

Dorset’s speed camera partnership issued a statement saying: “This was a tragic accident and our condolences go to the family of Mr Rowsell at this difficult time.

“It has been concluded that the siting of the speed camera was entirely appropriate and in line with Force procedure.

“We have no plans at this stage to change the policy on the deployment of mobile speed cameras across the county.”