Andy McDonald MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, responding to the Government's road casualty statistics, said:

“The latest road casualty statistics make for chilling reading with the number of road deaths at a five year high and serious life changing injuries up by nine per cent.

"Labour made significant progress on road safety, but the Tories scrapped road safety targets and allowed our roads to become more dangerous.

"The underfunding of police forces has meant there are a third fewer dedicated traffic police than a decade ago, making enforcement less effective. Labour will reintroduce road safety targets and increase police numbers as part of an ambitious strategy striving for zero deaths on our roads.”