The junction of Henlys Corner is the most dangerous stretch of road in Barnet, according to figures obtained by this newspaper.

Road safety in the borough has come to the fore following three deaths in the space of 12 days this year - including one at Henlys Corner. A fourth person, named this week as 62-year-old Cricklewood resident Noel O'Callaghan, is in a critical condition after being hit by a car in Chichele Road, Cricklewood, on January 22, just outside the borough's borders.

Tomasz Karkuszewski, 23, from Hampstead, died in the early hours of February 3 after being struck by a car at Henlys Corner, where the North Circular Road meets the A1 and intersects Regents Park Road, Finchley, and Finchley Road, Temple Fortune.

The latest official statistics, provided by Barnet Council, show there were 42 accidents at Henlys Corner between 2003-05. The figures are for any motor accident - no matter how serious - and includes those involving pedestrians, such as Mr Karkuszewski.

Two men have been arrested in connection with the hit-and-run death of Mr Karkuszewski. The driver in the case of Mr O'Callaghan - also a hit-and-run victim - remains at large. Lexy Williams, 24, of High Road, New Southgate, died on January 22 after he crashed his motorcycle on the North Circular Road, at the junction of Golders Green Road and Brent Street, Hendon. The statistics show that junction is the ninth most accident-prone road or junction in the borough.

Of the ten sites listed as having the most accidents, eight come under the remit of Transport for London (TfL) as it is responsible for main thoroughfares. Burnt Oak Broadway, Burnt Oak, and High Street, Edgware, where there were 25 and 22 accidents respectively, are the only two areas which the council is responsible for.

Councillor Matthew Offord, the council's cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "The council has long called for the construction of a decent junction at Henlys, and here is the proof that TfL must get its act together. In fact, 90 per cent of our worst blackspots are on TfL roads."

Long-mooted extensive safety improvements at Henlys Corner, including tunnels and flyovers, were mothballed by the Government in 1998 despite a public inquiry in 2000 and the council giving the plans the thumbs up.

A TfL spokesman said studies or measures to improve safety on all eight of the roads listed had recently taken place or were due to begin this year, including at Henlys Corner. The spokesman said: "The TfL road network represents only five per cent of London's roads but carries around 33 per cent of its traffic.

"The North Circular Road is one of the busiest in the capital, carrying huge volumes of traffic, therefore it's unsurprising there are more collisions than on roads carrying lower traffic volumes."

He added that TfL was planning minor changes to Henlys Corner, such as road markings.

TfL statistics released in November last year showed that eight people were killed on Barnet's roads between January and June last year, the second highest number in London.