THE number of car crash casualties recorded by Gwent Police went up last year compared to 2012, according to figures published by Welsh Government.

In both Caerphilly county and Blaenau Gwent, the overall number of road casualties have been cut by more than a third since 2008, by 28 per cent in Newport, 21 per cent in Monmouthshire and 22 per cent in Torfaen.

However, last year all five Gwent counties saw a surge in numbers compared to 2012, with 315 recorded in Caerphilly compared to 264 the year before; 165 in Blaenau Gwent compared to 146 in 2012; 143 in Torfaen compared to 123; 236 in Monmouthshire compared to 179 in 2012; and 371 in Newport compared to 329 in 2012.

Last year Gwent Police recorded 1,230 road casualties overall, compared to 1,041 in 2012 and 1,015 in 2011.

During 2013, crashes on Wales’ roads resulted in 8,335 casualties, three per cent fewer than in 2012.

Of those, 111 people were killed on Wales’ roads, 19 per cent more than in 2012; 1,033 people were seriously injured, 10 per cent more than in 2012; and 7,191 people were slightly injured, a drop of five per cent compared with 2012.