The Road casualties Great Britain report has revealed a strong link between pedestrian casualties and deprivation.

Around 20% of pedestrian and bus casualties in 2007 were living in the 10% most deprived areas of England, according to the report.

The pedestrian casualty rate fell consistently with the level of deprivation, from a rate of 70 casualties per 100,000 population in the most deprived areas to 21 casualties per 100,000 population in the least deprived.

There is a similar relationship for car passenger, and bus or coach casualties, although the decline in casualty rate is more gradual.

The Department for Transport attributes the pedestrian statistics to the greater percentage of walking trips in deprived areas, which tend to be urban environments where people are less likely to have cars.

But Tony Armstrong, chief executive of Living Streets, said the link between pedestrian casualties and deprivation was ‘a terrible failure of policy over recent years’.

‘It is particularly shocking that under-16s are over four times more likely to be killed or injured in deprived areas,’ he added. ‘All too often, streets in these areas suffer from neglect and poor planning, which leads to more dangerous conditions.’

The report confirmed the Government is on track to meet its road safety strategy target for 2010. In 2007, the number of people killed and seriously injured was 36% below the 1994-98 baseline figure – just short of the 40% target for 2010.