Cambridgeshire has recorded the sharpest rise in road fatalities of any English county, according to newly released Department for Transport (DfT) figures. The county saw 40 deaths on its roads in 2024, up from 23 in 2023 — a year-on-year increase of 74 per cent. This places Cambridgeshire at the top of the national list of areas with worsening road safety records.
Cheshire recorded the second highest rise, with deaths increasing from 23 to 34 (48 per cent), followed by Devon and Cornwall (up nine to 57), Northumbria (up nine to 41), and Nottinghamshire (up eight to 36).
The figures form part of the DfT’s Reported Road Casualties Great Britain report, which shows overall fatalities fell marginally by one per cent to 1,602 in 2024. However, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has warned that the decade-long stagnation in road safety progress remains a serious concern.
While car occupant deaths dropped by five per cent, deaths among motorcyclists rose sharply by eight per cent to 340. Pedestrian fatalities also increased by one per cent to 409, reversing recent improvements and leaving vulnerable road users accounting for over half of all fatalities.
RoSPA is calling on government and local authorities to prioritise urgent measures in the forthcoming National Road Safety Strategy. Suggested actions include lowering speed limits in high-risk areas, expanding 20mph zones in residential and school streets, investing in safer infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, and boosting public education on road safety.
“These figures are a stark reminder that progress on road safety has stalled, and lives are being lost unnecessarily,” said Rebecca Guy, Senior Policy Manager at RoSPA. “Road death is preventable, and with evidence-based solutions, we can reverse this decade of stagnation.”
