A campaign to reduce the number of motorbike deaths in Sussex was being launched today.

Part of the campaign is aimed at bikers who have switched to powerbikes after many years of driving cars.

They will be urged to take refresher courses and issued with copies of a pocket-sized information card filled with biking tips.

Operation Ride has been launched by Brighton and Hove City Council, Sussex Police and West and East Sussex County Councils.

The campaign follows a grim and growing toll of deaths on Sussex roads. Fifteen bikers died last year and investigations showed 73 per cent of motorbike accidents were caused by rider error.

Ron Paterson, road safety manager for West Sussex, is setting an example by taking a training course on his new bike after a ten-year break.

He said: "The power and speed of certain bikes is totally different to when I first rode and the amount of traffic has increased considerably."

West Sussex Cabinet member Tex Pemberton said: "We have had so many people killed in the past year on motorbikes and many of them were over 40 years old."