THE number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in Bracknell has decreased by more than a quarter, figures show.

Department for Transport data shows one person was killed and 19 people seriously injured on Bracknell Forest's roads in 2017.

In one of those accidents a child was taken to hospital.

The overall figure for people killed and seriously injured has decreased from 28, the yearly average from 2010 to 2014, to 20 last year.

The DfT uses the yearly average to measure change over time.

The number of road casualties in Bracknell Forest, which includes minor injuries, has decreased by 37 per cent over that time, to 183 incidents.

The data includes any injury sustained with a vehicle on the road. The injuries do not have to involve cars.

It could be a bike colliding with a pedestrian, or someone falling over while cycling.

However, while there are fewer accidents, there are more severe injuries.

The number of people killed or seriously injured in accidents increased by 12 per cent over the time period.

RAC road safety spokesman, Pete Williams, said: "This new data makes for sobering reading – there has now been no substantial reduction in fatalities since 2010, with the numbers killed on the roads remaining stubbornly high.

"It also remains the case that casualties among some vulnerable road user groups, specifically pedestrians and motorcyclists, are rising, which is a concern."

In Bracknell Forest, one pedestrian was killed. Of those seriously injured, two were pedestrians, four were cyclists and seven were riding motorbikes.

Bracknell Forest’s casualty rate is the same as the South East's average, but lower than the national casualty rate.

The road safety charity Brake called on the Government to lower speed limits.

A spokesman said: "Our most vulnerable road users, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, remain at dangerously high risk on our roads, paying the price for the dominance of the car in our lives.

"The Government must invest in active travel to give people safe and healthy ways to get around and focus on improving the safety of our roads – starting with lower speed limits.”