THREE stretches of trunk road in Powys are included in a list of the top 10 most dangerous roads in Wales – with one even making the UK wide list.

According to figures Wales is the second safest part of the UK overall for bikers, with 357 motorbike accidents in 2017. Wales had 174 more motorbike accidents in 2017 than the safest area, the north east of England, which had 183. London was the most dangerous region, with at least 3,200 more motorbike accidents than Wales.

However the A483, which runs from Swansea to Chester and through much of Powys including through Llanwrtyd, Builth and Llandrindod Wells, is the only road outside of London to make the overall UK top 10 most dangerous.

Analysis, by insurers Swinton, of 2017 records found the A483 claimed the seventh spot for motor bike accidents.

The 357 motorbike accidents recorded across Wales in 2017 amounted to a 12% decrease on the previous year.

The authors say the vulnerability of being a motorcyclist on the roads cannot be underestimated, with the findings uncovering the shocking fact that one in three motorbike accidents are serious or fatal.

The research shows that Friday is the most dangerous day of the week for motorcyclists, and that Saturdays have become more dangerous year-on-year.

Midday on Sunday is the time that experiences the most fatal or serious accidents and most involve riders on motorcycles with engines of 500cc or bigger, suggesting these accidents are happening with enthusiasts rather than commuters, especially as 83% of crashes occur during fine weather. Thursday at 5pm, the peak commuting hour, closely follows as a time that sees the most accidents.

Young men were most at risk, with 92% of crash victims’ being male, and 37% of victims aged 25 and under. 71% of accidents occurred on A-roads, making them the most hazardous type of road for motorbike riders.

Dan Agate, bike insurance specialist at Swinton Insurance said: "With Spring here, motorbike riders are more likely to be out on the open roads enjoying the weather, and we feel that it’s important to alert motorcyclists of the most dangerous roads in the UK and the places that they should approach with more caution. Similarly, we hope that this can serve as a stark reminder to all road users to be more alert to the increased presence of motorbikes.

"Whilst motorcyclists and drivers strive to be as safe as possible on UK roads, we hope that awareness of the most dangerous areas can go some way to making the roads a safer place for us all.”

Swinton used data for 2016 and 2017 from the .Gov website for traffic accidents all across the UK.

The top 10 most dangerous roads in Wales are

1. Powys A483

2. Denbighshire A542

3. Powys A470

4. Powys A40

5. Denbighshire A525

6. Swansea A4067

7. Carmarthenshire A4069

8. Gwynedd A487

9. Bridgend A4063

10. Cardiff A4161

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