Tributes paid to caring family man as road toll grows

4:14pm Wednesday 17th September 2008

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TRIBUTES have been paid to a “caring and honest” family man who died in a crash on a notorious stretch of road.

Father-of-two Tim Reynolds was just five minutes from home when his motorbike collided with a car on the Marchwood bypass.

Paramedics rushed to the junction between Twiggs Lane and the A326, but the 51-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tragically, Tim was just returning home from France where he had spent the week enjoying a motorcycle tour with pals.

His heartbroken family today remembered a “devoted” husband who was passionate about his hobbies.

In a statement, they said: “Tim Reynolds was the devoted husband of Debbie and father of Emma, 23, and Katie, 20.

He was a big family man.

“Tim had tremendous integrity. He was a caring, honest and decent man, loved and respected by all his family, friends and work colleagues.

“An avid caravanner, Tim was passionate about his hobbies and had a wide circle of loyal friends as a result.

“He maintained and drove his bike with great care and never took unnecessary risks.”

Mr Reynolds, of Whittington Close, Hythe, was driving back from Portsmouth ferry terminal when his Suzuki was in collision with a Volvo.

He had been on a biking holiday in the Massif Central area of France with friends who included his best man Nigel Sign.

Mr Sign told the Daily Echo: “We grew up together and both went to Noadswood School.

“He was the kind of person who would always do things for other people and somebody who just loved his family. The really sad thing is that we had him for his last week and his family did not.

“It is just devastating.”

The tragedy came just weeks after a double fatality on the August Bank Holiday on the same road.

On that occasion, 11- year-old Channon Stubbs and her stepfather Terry were killed on a stretch of the A326 near Dibden Purlieu. The tragedy instantly prompted calls for road chiefs to investigate the safety of the route, dubbed Hampshire’s longest cul-de-sac.

A county council spokesman said: “As with any fatal accident or accident resulting in serious injury, we do investigate, but we cannot carry out our investigations until the police have concluded theirs.

“Our road safety officers will be looking into it and assessing what safety measures would be appropriate.”

The road is used by 20,000 vehicles a day and is often at a standstill during rush hour periods.

However, it is plagued by speeding drivers when traffic is lighter.

Pedestrians have also fallen victim while crossing the A326, which runs between junction 2 of the M27 at Ower and Fawley.

Schoolboy Ryan Crouch, 11, pensioner Frank Harrison, 83, and motherof- two Kathleen Gundre, 61, have all lost their lives in accidents on the road in the past four years.

Police are still appealing for witnesses to the crash on Saturday night. The 52- year-old Volvo driver was uninjured in the incident and has been helping officers with their enquiries.

Anyone with information should contact police on 0845 0454545.