ROAD deaths and serious injuries fell again in Brighton and Hove last year, official statistics show.

Casualties on Brighton and Hove roads are down 18.3% from 1,111 in 2011 to 908 in 2013.

Road deaths slumped 63% from eight in 2010 to three in 2013, according to Department for Transport figures.

This is despite the number of people killed on Sussex’s roads as a whole increasing last year.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s ruling Green Party said the fall showed its “bold” 20mph scheme was making the city safer – though the figures only cover the first few months following the introduction of the scheme.

Councillor Ian Davey, lead member for transport, said: “When we came into administration, Brighton and Hove had one of the worst road safety records in the country.

“Now, thanks in part to our traffic calming and speed reduction measures, we have seen a dramatic fall in the number of people getting killed and injured on our roads.

“Surely this is something that we can all welcome?

“It shows bold Green policies such as 20 mph are achieving their purpose: to make the city a safer place in which to live, work and visit.

“It vindicates our policy against all those critics and opposition parties who have tried to put obstacles in the way.”

Labour welcomed the drop – but said the success of 20mph was yet to be proven.

Coun Gill Mitchell, Labour lead for the environment and transport, said: “We are very pleased to see a general reduction of road casualties in the city in line with national trends, this is good news for all road users.

“Regarding the 20mph zones, they only came into effect in April 2013 so were only in force for a few months of the reporting period therefore it is too early to assess their impact. We look forward to a full and rigorous evaluation of the 20mph zones when there is solid data available.’ Coun Graham Cox, Conservative transport spokesman, said: “We very much welcome the drop in the number of road casualties in the city which is part of a wider national trend in improving road safety over the last few years.

“Clearly even one casualty is one too many but it is good that we are heading in the right direction and that the investment is starting to pay off.”