NEW Government figures have revealed more people are being killed or seriously injured in crashes in Essex roads, despite a drop in less serious road casualties.

The Department for Transport data shows three people were killed and 68 people seriously injured on Thurrock’s roads in 2017.

In 10 of those accidents children were taken to hospital.

The overall figure for people killed and seriously injured has increased from 64, the yearly average from 2010 to 2014, to 71 last year.

This is despite the number of road casualties in Thurrock, which includes minor injuries, decreasing by 22 per cent over that time, to 428.

The figures show two people were killed and 79 people seriously injured in Southend’s roads in 2017.

In 10 of those accidents children were taken to hospital.

The overall figure for people killed and seriously injured has increased from 66, the yearly average from 2010 to 2014, to 81 last year.

This is despite the number of road casualties in Southend, which includes minor injuries, decreasing by 34 per cent over that time, to 353.

One of the fatal crashes happened in Queensway, Southend on October 25 last year. A 32-year-old man from Billericay died in hospital after his bike crashed into the central reservation.

The second fatal crash last year in Southend happened at the junction of New Road and Hadleigh Road in Leigh in July.

Overall figures for Essex, show 41 people were killed and 734 people seriously injured on Essex’s roads in 2017.

The overall figure for people killed and seriously injured has increased from 617, the yearly average from 2010 to 2014, to 775 last year. This is despite the number of road casualties in Essex, which includes minor injuries, decreasing by 14 per cent over that time, to 3,582.

A spokesman for the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP), said: “One person killed or seriously injured is too many and the SERP, along with Essex Highways, work constantly to reduce casualties on the county’s roads.

“Safety engineers use collision data to identify sites where highway engineering schemes can improve safety. The SERP also invests resources in education and public information with the aim of having a positive influence on road user behaviour.”