Demands are today being made for safety improvements on a stretch of road where a cyclist died in a crash with a van.

The man in his 30s, who has not been named, died yesterday morning following the collision with a white Ford Transit on the B1145 Gayton Road at Bawsey. Both were travelling towards King's Lynn, when it happened at about 6.30am.

The road was only recently made into a clearway – a stretch where parking is banned – but today local residents and MP Henry Bellingham are calling for more to be done.

The North-West Norfolk MP has previously asked for changes on the road, which has a 50mph speed limit.

He said: 'I will now be calling on the police and highways to look at safety measures on the road, including a possible 40mph speed limit.'

People living near the site said it was a dangerous stretch of road known for its blind humps.

John Eayres, a member of Ashwicken and Leziate Parish Council, which covers Bawsey, said: 'It's a highly-dangerous road and the clearway is one of the safety improvements we were calling for.'

Steve Sheldrake, who lives near the site, said: 'There's a 50mph speed limit on the road but people do much more that. You never see a speed camera van down here. It's like a racetrack.

'I don't know what the answer is – either reduce the speed limit or put a speed camera there to slow everyone down. I've been here five years and the traffic flow has increased every year. You get vehicles coming off the A47 and using it to come into King's Lynn. Lorries cut through on the road. It's like Brands Hatch.'

Joanne Mallett, who also lives nearby, said: 'You often see people doing well over the speed limit, and they overtake on bumps.'

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: 'People don't take any notice of the speed limit. I've seen motorcyclists doing 90mph down there.'

Emergency services were called at about 6.30am and the road was closed until 11.40am.

Officers would like to hear from any witnesses to the collision or to the van's driving beforehand. Call 101.