ATTEMPTS by police to halt a motorcyclist on the A1(M) ended in tragedy on Monday morning. The motorcyclist, who was travelling south, veered off the motorway at junction 7 at Stevenage South just before 8.30am and ploughed into the rear of a Mercedes van

ATTEMPTS by police to halt a motorcyclist on the A1(M) ended in tragedy on Monday morning.

The motorcyclist, who was travelling south, veered off the motorway at junction 7 at Stevenage South just before 8.30am and ploughed into the rear of a Mercedes van at the bottom of the slip road.

A doctor from Lister Hospital pronounced the motorcyclist dead at the scene.

He was later identified as Benjamin Allmond, 24, from Lincoln.

The stretch of the motorway southbound between junctions 8 and 7 was closed for over 10 hours while officers carried out their investigation. Traffic was diverted off the motorway at Corey's Mill and through Stevenage returning to the motorway at junction seven.

Police officers also had to turn queueing vehicles around and direct them back to Corey's Mill.

The accident investigation was handed over to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and road traffic officers from Bedfordshire police headed by Insp Jane Aspin.

The commission quickly issued a statement saying the motorcyclist was not being chased by police.

"Hertfordshire Constabulary officers had requested him to stop before the collision. There was no pursuit," said a commission spokesman.

"There is no appeal for witnesses as the accident happened when the motorway was very busy and was seen by a large number of people and we have a lot of eyewitness reports."

The opposite stretch of the motorway between junctions 7 and 8 northbound was brought to a standstill yesterday (Wednesday) morning after a car carrying two people suffered a burst rear tyre and collided with the central reservation at 6.30am.

Speed restrictions were put in place for two hours while the debris was cleared.

The occupants of the car suffered only minor injuries and did not need hospital treatment.