The number of people killed on Cambridgeshire's roads almost doubled last year, police said today.

During 2010, 42 lost their lives, compared with 23 deaths in 2009.

PC Tony Barrios, casualty reduction officer with the cambridgeshire force, said: 'It is always sad when the number of fatal collisions increases, however, the 2009 figures were extremely low and we were unlikely to be able to sustain them.

'Thankfully despite last year's rise, fatal collisions viewed long-term are the lowest they've been for the past 14 years.

'It's important that we review every serious and fatal collision to understand the causes and how we can reduce the figure.

'Too many serious collisions are caused by human error. By reducing your speed or adapting your driving to the conditions of the roads you can significantly reduce the chance of being involved in a collision.'

Over the next year officers will be holding a number of targeted campaigns to reduce casualties including, drink drive campaigns, seatbelt enforcement weeks and operations to target motorists breaking the law.

Cambridgeshire's cabinet member for highways, county councillor Mac McGuire, said: 'The increase in the number of people dying in road accidents last year is to be deeply regretted - but overall the trend over recent years has been downward which is very welcome.'

In 2009, 23 people were killed on Cambridgeshire's roads. In 2008, there wwere 60 fatalities, in 2007 there were 86, in 2006 there were 64, and in 2005 there were 67.