LATEST figures show an increase in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Merseyside’s roads.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists today blamed years of Government cutbacks and the resulting drop in visible policing for a national increase in fatal accidents.

Department of Transport records released this morning show there were 25 deaths, 613 serious injuries, and 3,333 slight injuries on the county’s roads in the 12 months to September, 2014 - a total of 3,946.

Data for the previous year revealed there were 23 deaths, 534 serious injuries and 3,195 slight injuries, a total of 3,752.

Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: “It is disappointing that after many years of solid falls in the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads, the Government has taken its eye off the ball.

“These figures reflect our view that cuts in visible policing and road safety spending has had an impact, with a third successive quarter of increases.

“We have had pretty much two decades of falls in the KSI (killed/seriously injured) figures, and while these new figures can in no way be regarded as a trend, they are a big concern.”

He said the Government has been “riding its luck to an extent”, and that the recession has played its part in artificially making the figures seem better than they really are.

Mr Greig added: “Recent transport ministers have been lucky.

“The recession had slowed traffic growth, new car technology has delivered safer roads year on year and most accident black spots have now been engineered out of existence."

Nationally, there were 1,711 deaths, a 1% increase and 24,360 killed or seriously injured casualties  - a 4% increase from the previous year.

Child casualties rose by 3% over this period.

Transport minister Robert Goodwill said: "Britain's roads are still among the safest in the world and there are 40% fewer road deaths per year than a decade ago.

"The number of casualties fell in this quarter (July to September 2014) compared to the same period in 2013. There remains a significant long-term decline in casualties.

"We are determined to do more to reduce these figures, working with the police and other agencies, such as promoting road awareness through our THINK! campaign."

RAC head of external affairs Pete Williams said: "It is alarming to see that years of progress on road safety appears to have come to an abrupt halt.

"The RAC has highlighted the lack of focus that the current government has shown to road safety, but this is surely the wake-up call that is needed to give the topic the attention and resources it deserves."