A total of 3,443 people died on the UK's roads in 2001 - a rise of 1%, according to figures published on Thursday by the Department of Transport.

But traffic levels also increased by 1% over the same period.

Overall the number of casualties fell by 2% to 313,046.

David Jamieson: Saddened by the latest figures

The figures revealed the number of child fatalities had also risen to 218 - 27 more than in 2000.

The government said that given the increased traffic levels, the casualty rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres was actually down by 3% on the previous year.

Road Safety Minister David Jamieson said: "Annual road casualty statistics are never good news because, even when they are going down, they still represent an unbearable toll of pain and grief.

"This year, despite our firm commitment to improving road safety, it is sadder still to see an increase in the number of road deaths when both serious and slight injuries have continued to fall."

It would be interesting to know the reason why this has happened and if speed on the road had anything to do with it

Roger Vincent, Rospa

He said he was confident of meeting road safety targets for 2010 and added: "Deaths and injuries on the roads in 2001 are much lower than they were a decade ago, but they are still too high."

Roger Vincent, spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa), said a reduction in road casualties was encouraging but the slight rise in the number of fatalities was "worrying".

"It would be interesting to know the reason why this has happened and if speed on the road had anything to do with it," he said.

Europe comparison

He said the increase in child deaths was not good and urged parents to invest more time into teaching their children road safety.

"It is about everyone working together, the motorist and the pedestrian to be less selfish on the roads," he added.

Other findings included:

• Although the number of motorcyclists injured went up by 2%, the number of riders killed fell by 4%
• The number of deaths among car users in 2001 rose by 5% but the number of seriously injured fell by 2%.
• Among pedal cyclists, there were 4% less seriously injured but 9% more killed
• Total casualties among car users were 2% lower than 2000.

BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said Britain remained one of the safest countries in Europe for road safety.

Scotland's roads claimed 21 more lives in 2001 than the previous year - a rise of 5%.

But the number of people injured in Scotland fell to its lowest since 1954.

Meanwhile, the biggest study ever undertaken on the safety of Europe's roads has identified the most dangerous major road in England is the A537 running from Macclesfield to Buxton in Derbyshire.