BRADFORD has been named among local authority areas which saw a rise in the number of children injured or killed on roads in 2017 when compared with the previous year.

Road safety charity Brake has highlighted the latest Department for Transport (DfT) figures, which show 1,698 children were killed or injured on roads in Yorkshire and the Humber in 2017.

That equates to an average of 33 children dying or suffering injuries as a result of road crashes every week.

Although the overall number of child road casualties is 14 per cent below the average for 2010-14 (1,969), more than half of local authority areas in Yorkshire and the Humber saw a rise in the number of children killed or injured in 2017, compared with the previous year.

Barnsley, Bradford, Doncaster, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, Rotherham and Sheffield all recorded a rise in the number of children killed or injured on roads compared with 2016.

Across the region, Leeds has the greatest number of child road casualties, with 239 children killed or injured on roads in 2017.

This is a 20 per cent reduction on 2016 figures (299) and the lowest level in the city for the past five years.

Four children were killed on roads in Leeds in 2017, more than anywhere else in Yorkshire and the Humber for the past five years, and the joint highest number recorded anywhere in England (shared with Derbyshire and Devon).

North East Lincolnshire recorded its highest number of child road casualties (85) for the past five years, while the largest increase in the number of children killed or injured on roads in Yorkshire and the Humber was seen in North Yorkshire, where figures rose by 32 per cent between 2016 (127) and 2017 (168).

York saw the greatest decrease in child road casualties, recording a five-year low of 45 children injured on the city’s roads – a 24 per cent decrease on 2016 figures (59).

The lowest numbers of child road casualties in 2017 were seen in York (45), North Lincolnshire (48) and Calderdale (60).

Meanwhile, Doncaster, Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees North Yorkshire and Sheffield all recorded more than 100 children injured on roads, and both Bradford and Leeds recorded more than 200 deaths and injuries.

Around 5,300 children from across Yorkshire and the Humber will take to their streets today to raise awareness.

The children, aged between four and 11, are among more than 65,000 from across the UK taking part in Brake’s Kids Walk with Shaun the Sheep.

The national project, in partnership with Ocado Foundation, sees Shaun and his flock help youngsters learn key road safety messages and call on grown ups to make roads safer.

Schools and nurseries from the region are joining in by calling for five measures to help keep children safe near roads: footpaths, cycle paths, safe places to cross, slow traffic and clean traffic.

Short, supervised walks are taking place today and all week at or around schools and nurseries.

Children will walk in a crocodile formation and hold hands to highlight the importance of being able to walk without fear or threat from traffic. Some schools are teaming up with their local fire service or police.

Dave Nichols, community engagement manager for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “Every child should be able to walk in their community without fear of traffic and pollution. Unfortunately, many kids are unable to do so because they don’t have access to simple measures such as footpaths, cycle paths and safe places to cross.

"Many more must contend with fast traffic and pollution from vehicle emissions. If we want children and their families to walk in Yorkshire & the Humber, then we need to make sure their journeys are safe.

"We’re delighted that so many schools and children across the region agree with us on this and are taking part in Brake’s Kids Walk.

"Together we can raise awareness about the issues that matter to them and help make their roads safer.”