Speed cameras are not the answer on a stretch of road that has claimed the lives of five people in the past six months, according to a road safety officer.

Geoff Barrell, from the county council, was speaking after motorcyclist Jonathan Gaye became the latest person to die on Gangsdown Hill, near Nettlebed in south Oxfordshire. IT worker Mr Gaye, 34, who lived with his wife Sue and two young children in Fitzcount Way, Wallingford, was riding on the A4130 at 9.40am on Saturday, February 7, when the accident happened.

Police want to speak to the drivers of a van and an old-style estate car, and of a small, flatbed pick-up who helped slow down oncoming traffic following the accident.

Anyone with information about Saturday's accident can call police on 01189 231827 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Calls for increased safety measures have been backed by resident and former television sports presenter David Vine, who wants to see speed cameras.

But Mr Barrell, who is also principal engineer at the council, said: "Vehicles are not going fast enough to justify a speed camera.

"There has to be another answer and our experts are out there inspecting the road and checking what vehicles are doing.

"We are looking at how we can make it safer by discouraging motorists from overtaking recklessly.

"We are also considering a speed limit of 40mph nearer Nuffield village and monitoring what that achieves."

In September, a head-on crash on the same stretch of road killed six-year-old Jack Powell, his mother Rachel Turk and stepfather Richard, who lived at RAF Benson, near Wallingford. In November, Heather Chapman, 67, of Shiplake, died after her car crashed head-on with a truck.