ESSEX is bucking the national safety trend after seeing a 22 per cent fall in the number of people killed on the roads.

In 2011, there were 35 people killed on the county’s roads, compared to 2010 when there were 45. Overall killed and seriously injured (KSI) casualties for Essex also fell 5 per cent in 2011 compared to 2010.

Nationally there was a 3 per cent rise in the number of people killed and a 3 per cent increase in KSIs .

In 2012, Essex County Council, working with its partners in the Essex Casualty Reduction Board (ECRB) will be continuing the ‘no excuse’ campaign, which brings together cover and overt police enforcement and road safety education programmes to target routes and towns where crashes and casualties are known to occur.

Successful engineering schemes have also contributed, such as the A127 average speed camera zones which evidenced a 63% reduction in KSI collisions in the 3 year period since installation with little detrimental effects to journey times.

Cllr Derrick Louis, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “The reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads is testament to level of activity and support from all of the ECRB partners and their dedication to reducing collisions in Essex.

“We will be continuing to target key areas and organise events such SAT days which provide us with the opportunity to engage with residents about the most common causes of accidents. Indeed, whilst some drivers continue to put themselves and others at risk we will continue to target them with enforcement and education activity to make our roads safer.”