Road deaths double across Croydon (From Your Local Guardian)

Road deaths double across Croydon

9:00am Thursday 12th July 2012 in Top Stories By Nick Hitchens

Road deaths doubled across the borough last year with 10 people killed on Croydon’s roads, the highest number since 2004.

Figures published by Transport for London (TfL) showed seven pedestrians, including one child, were killed on Croydon’s roads in 2011, compared with five in 2010, five in 2009, and four in 2008.

Numbers of seriously injured were also up on 2010 as were cases of slight injury, which were the highest recorded since 2005.

Councillor Steve O’Connell, Greater London Authority member for Croydon that is responsible for TfL and London road network, said: “I’m very alarmed. I will be writing to Paul Hendy, chief executive of TfL to ask if he plans to investigate this further.

“What I want to know in particular is is there an area we can identify where many of these incidents are occurring, a dangerous junction, or is the problem systemic across Croydon.”

London-wide figures also showed an upturn in fatalities with 159 recorded in 2011, compared with 126 in 2010, but cases of serious injury have fallen.

A spokesman for TfL said work was being done to investigate the reasons behind the increase, citing increased use of mobile phones or extreme weather as possible factors.

Last month MP for Croydon Central Gavin Barwell was named the road safety parliamentarian of the month by the charity Brake for his work tackling drug driving.

He said: “I am not aware of drivers in Croydon being any worse than other areas. I think you’ll find as with most areas it is a small minority who perhaps are a cause of concern for others.”

He said that road safety campaigns were important in reminding people of the dangers of driving.

TfL begins consultation on a new draft road safety plan for London.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “The safety of every road user on our city’s streets is absolutely paramount. This is why I have asked TfL to redouble its efforts in tackling areas of concern for safety including finalising revisions to the road safety plan for London.”