DEATHS on Oxfordshire's roads went up last year but fewer people were seriously injured.

New figures showed a drop of 14 per cent in the number of people badly hurt in road crashes, but 40 victims lost their lives, compared with 33 in 2004.

Overall the number of people hurt also rose, prompting road safety campaigners to pledge to work harder to cut the road toll.

Among those who lost their lives last year were Marshall Haynes, Josh Bartlett and Liam Hastings, all 13, and 21-year-old Howard Hillsdon and who were killed in an horrific crash on the Eastern Bypass in May.

In the same month 15-year-olds Sarah Ertl and Gemma Blackman died after the car they were travelling in hit a tree on the B430 near Hopcrofts Holt.

Government figures released last week showed the total number of casualties on Oxfordshire's roads increased in 2005 to 2,858 - a rise of eight per cent on the 2004 figures.

But the statistics, from the Department for Transport, reveal the number of people seriously injured in has fallen from 348 in 2004 to 299 in 2005.

Dan Campsall, spokesman for the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership, said the long-term trend showed casualty figures were falling.

He said: "The number of people killed in Oxfordshire did rise in 2005 from its lowest ever recorded level in 2004, but remains nearly 20 per cent down on the average number of road deaths per year since 2000."

He added: "When we look at the long term reductions, the number of people killed or seriously injured is 57 per cent lower than in 1990 and 36 per cent lower than in 2000, so the overall safety record is still improving."

In July this year Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service launched the 365 Alive campaign in response to what they say have been far too many road tragedies in recent years. The campaign aims to save 365 lives on the road over the next decade.

The main leading the project, assistant chief fire officer Dave Etheridge, said the rise in road deaths highlighted the importance of the campaign.

Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for Transport, David Robertson, said he was disappointed the number of road deaths had risen.

He said: "Every one is a tragedy for the families involved."

"I would like people to reflect on the number of deaths and do what they can to help reduce the figure and avoid the tragedy and heartache for the people left behind."

But Mr Robertson said the overall drop in serious injuries - almost double the rate of the six per cent fall nationally - did reflect some success.

He added: "The county council works very hard to bring casualty rates down."

"You have to be cautious with figures but the trend over the past few years has been downwards."