POLICE knew that the type of motorbike ridden by a police officer in a fatal accident in Bolton would “weave” at high speed, an inquest has been told.

The inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court into the death of PC Allan Shaw in July, 2006, heard that a speed limit of 70mph had been imposed on police Honda ST1300s because the bikes could become unstable at higher speeds.

Insp Michael Keegan, head of traffic network services at Greater Manchester Police, said the speed limit decision was taken in 2005.

However, another officer, PC Lee Rickett, a motorcyclist who rode the same type of bike in the practice session in which PC Shaw died, said he was never told to limit his speed.

He said he would be unable to do a proper escort job on a motorbike limited to 70mph.

PC Shaw died as he and colleagues were practising escorting VIPs.

His motorbike went out of control in Astley Bridge, after crossing the junction of Moss Bank Way and Blackburn Road onto Crompton Way.

PC Rickett and PC Shaw were part of a team of five motorcycle outriders who would take it in turns to ride ahead of the convoy of cars and stop traffic at junctions.

The inquest was told that PC Rickett was first to arrive at the Blackburn Road junction. He stopped the traffic there with the help of a colleague.

Two other police motorcyclists rode through the junction, safely followed by PC Shaw.

PC Rickett told the inquest that he estimated PC Shaw was riding at about 60mph. As he passed the junction and went into a dip at the edge of the road’s camber, the front of PC Shaw’s bike dipped down and the back wheel left the carriageway.

PC Rickett said the back wheel landed at an angle to the front wheel, sending the motorbike out of control, leaving PC Shaw with a situation even the most skilful rider could not always correct.

As the bike veered out of control towards a parked lorry, PC Rickett said he got the impression that PC Shaw had deliberately tried to topple the bike over to avoid smashing into an object.

“Your last chance of not hitting an object is to drop the bike to the floor and hope you go your separate ways,” PC Rickett said.

Unfortunately, PC Shaw, a 33-year-old married father from Ashton-in-Makerfield, collided with the back of a lorry and was killed.

PC Rickett said he did not believe the weaving problem caused his colleague to crash.

However, he criticised a decision taken months before the Astley Bridge accident, to stop police motorcyclists escorting Category A prisoners.

Insp Keegan said the decision was taken in October, 2005, because it was too risky to use unarmed motorcyclists where there was the potential for an armed escape or ambush.

However, PC Rickett said police motorcyclists were unhappy about the decision because it reduced the amount of experience they had in escorting convoys.

The day that PC Shaw died was only the second practice day the motorcyclists had had since the new rule came into force. The first was only a week earlier.

The inquest continues.