More children are killed or seriously injured in Barnet in road accidents than almost anywhere else in London, official figures show.

The figures, released last week by Transport for London, show 22 children were killed or seriously injured last year on Barnet's roads. Barnet came joint top with Hillingdon.

But while Hillingdon has improved markedly in the past ten years, the figures remain relatively static in Barnet. Compared with figures from 1994-98, Barnet has reduced the number of child casualties and fatalities by only 29 per cent the smallest reduction in London.

The news is no better when it comes to pedestrian safety. Forty-nine pedestrians were killed or seriously injured on Barnet's roads last year only four other London boroughs posted higher numbers.

Last year a total of 146 people were killed or seriously injured in road accidents in Barnet that includes drivers, passengers and pedestrians again among the highest in London. As elsewhere in London, this did at least represent a reduction compared with previous years.

The numbers call into question Barnet Council's policy of removing speed humps from its roads a decision which is at odds with the policy of the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone.

Councillor Matthew Offord, cabinet member for environment and transport, who described reducing road casualties as a priority for me and high priority for the council', said: "We have exceeded our 2010 target for slight casualties on our roads five years early and we are well on the way to halving the number of fatal and serious road casualties. To date we have reduced this by 46 per cent.

"The figures vindicate our sensible approach to traffic management but I will not be content until there are no casualties."