The devastated family of a 20-year-old motorcyclist, who died on the notorious A272 on Good Friday, have this week paid tribute to him.

Jeremy Hall, a student at Peter Symonds' College, Winchester, had been travelling towards the city when his Honda CBR 600 collided with a blue VW Golf and a white Renault van near Beauworth crossroads, Cheriton.

The young biker, of Rowdell Cottages, Ropley, suffered critical injuries and was taken to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester, where he later died.

In a statement, his family said: "Southern roads have claimed yet another victim. It is not yet clear what caused the accident. Police will be taking statements to get a better understanding of what caused such devastation.

"Jeremy's death has left a huge void in the lives of his family, who never dreamt his life would be taken from him so early when he had so much to look forward to."

The family paid tribute to Jeremy, a sportsman who enjoyed karate, running and swimming, describing him as "a mature, healthy and energetic young man who was always trying to achieve".

He had worked as a part-time lifeguard at the River Park Leisure Centre, Winchester, for two years. "He was a very popular person, with many friends and his infectious smile and disposition will be greatly missed by all those who knew him," they added.

A keen biker, Jeremy had traded his car in for the Honda CBR 600 and passed his test first time. When the accident happened, he was returning from a motorcycle shop in Haslemere to meet his brother and some friends.

His chosen route, the A272, is popular with bikers, but was the scene of 10 motorbike crashes in 2003. According to police figures, there were 30 accidents on the road last year, one fatal. A further 13 people were seriously injured and another 30 slightly hurt in the frequent accidents.

MP, Mark Oaten, expressed serious concerns about the A272, which runs close to his Bramdean home. "There is real local concern about what is happening on this road.

"When the motorcycles come out on Bank Holidays, it is a nightmare. We are constantly asking for something to be done about the two dangerous junctions around Cheriton."

A proposal to introduce a 40mph limit at Cheriton, around the junction with Alresford Road, is being considered by the county council, but Cllr Harry Verney, who represents Cheriton, said calls for similar restrictions on the Beauworth junction, where Friday's accident happened, are not being heeded. "I've being trying to get something done about that junction for years. It is only marginally less dangerous and the visibility is worse. It is not marked sufficiently as a dangerous crossroads."

Meanwhile, police are appealing for witnesses to the fatal crash, which happened at around 3.30pm and led to the road being closed for six hours.

The driver of the Golf, a 45-year-old woman from Somerset and the driver of the van, a 33-year-old man from Cowplain, were treated for shock and minor injuries.

l Anyone who can help is asked to call Operation Moncreiffe at Winchester Roads Policing Unit on 0845 0454545.