Kingston has seen the biggest rise in road accidents in the whole of London, new figures from Transport for London have revealed.
The number of casualties on the borough’s streets hit 423 in 2008, up 23 per cent on the previous year.
Calls have been made for tougher enforcement of speeding drivers and more speed cameras, in light of the news.
Last year, two people died on Kingston’s roads, down from five deaths in 2007.
Kingston motorcyclist David Taylor died from spinal injuries and organ failure after being hit by a Peugeot 307 in Cambridge Road on January 7.
The driver pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and was given six penalty points and a £335 fine.
Among the other casualties were Southborough sixth form pupil Sung Yleung Lee, who was flung six metres in the air after being hit by an ambulance outside his school in September, and a 14-year-old Tolworth girl who was hit by a car half a mile away just a week later.
Despite the high profile advertising campaign “Think! Look out for your mates”, the number of teenage casualties rose in Kingston from four in 2007 to eight last year, again bucking the London trend.
Last month, 16-year-old moped rider Daniel Izquierdo collided with a bus on Kingston Bridge, the first teenage road death of 2009.
Tony Adams from Kingston Area Travellers’ Association put the rise down to drivers’ excessive speed, particularly on the A3, where he claimed there were not enough speed cameras.
He added: “There are too many drivers who don’t read road signs properly so we need better enforcement by police.”
Councillor Bob Steed, executive member for transport, was quick to point out that Kingston’s accident rate was still among the lowest in London.
He said the rise in 2008 was a “blip” and accident rates overall had dropped in the past 25 years.
James Parker, a service manager at Kingston Council, said the increase in casualties since the all-time low of 2007 was a “matter of great concern” but said many steps had been taken to improve road safety, including road works and school travel plans.
Later this summer, new ideas to cut casualties will be presented by all London boroughs to the Mayor Boris Johnson.
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