TWO roads that pass through South Lakeland have been named among the most dangerous in Britain.

Worst in the county and placing 17th in the national list is the A595 which starts at the Dalton-in-Furness and runs up to Carlisle.

The Cumbrian Coast Road, as it is known, has an accident rate of 2.93 per one million vehicle-miles driven.

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And the A65, which runs between Kendal and Skipton, is the 41st most dangerous nationally with an accident rate of 1.82 per one million vehicle-miles driven.

The list has been compiled by Regtransfers.co.uk whose spokesperson Angela Banh said that highlighting the most dangerous roads in Britain could help raise safe driving awareness particularly during the hazardous winter months.

Chris Broadbent, Road Safety Co-ordinator for Cumbria Road Safety Partnership (CRSP), said: “The critical issue is driver behaviour and the simple message is that people should adhere to the laws that apply to them, wherever they are and drive carefully."

Meanwhile, a Lake District road known for its steep, twisting bends has been named as one of the ten most picturesque in Britain.

Hardknott Pass, which links Eskdale with the Duddon Valley, was placed fifth in a list compiled by car leasing company LeaseCar.uk.

Elsewhere, North Yorkshire County Council's annual casualty report has revealed that the number of people seriously injured in collisions rose in 2016.

Overall, the number of people seriously injured rose by one per cent from 399 in 2015 to 403 in 2016.

However, the county council has welcomed the news that the number of people killed in collisions on the road fell in 2016, as did the number of causalities.

In 2016, 28 people were killed in collisions, down from 31 the previous year and the lowest number since modern records began in North Yorkshire in 1990.

And the total number of casualties fell by three per cent, down to 2,250 in 2016.

County councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for road safety, said: “Road safety is a priority for the County Council. We are pleased to see that the number of fatalities is falling, but every death on our roads is a death too many.

“Since 1990, we have seen a slow downward trend, with fluctuations, in road deaths in the county and we are striving to continue this trend. We plan investment to reduce and prevent collisions and casualties, focusing funding where it can make the biggest difference.”