Deaths and major injuries among vulnerable road users have seen a marked increase. 

There was a nine percent rise in the most serious of cycle casualties in the year to June 2012 and a five percent rise in fatalities and serious injuries among pedestrians.

The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured during the 12 months to this summer rose by 260 to 3210 compared to the same period the previous year. Pedestrian deaths and major injuries rose by 269 to 5970.

But overall the road safety picture has improved slightly, according to statistics released last week by the Department for Transport. The number of people killed on the roads fell by 6% to 1790 and the number of casualties overall fell by 4% to 199,740. Deaths and serious injuries among car users fell by 5% to 9120.

“These figures provide a stark reminder that there is much more to do,” said sustainable transport charity Sustrans’ policy advisor Joe Williams. “It is simply not right that the most vulnerable users are at an increasing risk on our roads.”

Robert Gifford of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety added: “The new team of Ministers at the Department has identified that road safety remains a priority. I welcome this public commitment. What we need to see now is a review of the current Strategic Framework and its Action Plan to ensure that we have a long term vision for road safety beyond 2015.”

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