NEW statistics have revealed that there has been an increase in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Borders roads, compared to last year’s figures.

In the quarterly Scrutiny Report published by Scottish Borders Police ahead of this week’s Safer Communities Board meeting in Newtown St. Boswells, figures show a 33 per cent increase in fatal road accidents.

Compared to the previous year, the number of people who were killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads has risen from 69 to 83.

What is more, the figures published in the most recent report do not include the string of recent fatalities that have occurred on the region's roads.

Of the twelve people killed on Borders roads from April 2018 to March 2019, half of them were motorcyclists.

The report states that these figures are ‘frustrating’, given that there have been targeted efforts to raise awareness within the motorcycle community on the importance of obeying the speed limit.

The increase in road fatalities will come as a shock to some, given that the police have spent a lot of time and resources over the last year in raising awareness and tackling issues of road safety in the region.

The police have continued regular patrols in the area, with more than 300 people being detected for speeding. Nearly the same amount were caught for insurance offences and a further 40 people were reported for dangerous driving.

Since January, the Community Action Team has been focusing heavily on issues of road safety.

Operations “Close Pass” and “Lose the Blinkers” have continually run throughout the year, with police pedal cyclists and horse riders going undercover to educate drivers on how to pass cyclists and horses safely on busy roads.

Furthermore, Police Scotland Youth Volunteers have delivered cycle-safety demonstrations in areas where local youths were displaying unsafe road sense.