A senior Bradford councillor last night vowed to tackle the number of drink-drive deaths in the district as provisional national figures showed the number of fatalities in accidents involving alcohol soared last year.

An estimated 290 people were killed in drink-drive accidents in Britain in 2012, about a quarter more than the figure of 230 in 2011, the Department for Transport said yesterday.

The 2012 figures showed that the 290 deaths represented 17 per cent of all reported road fatalities.

No local or regional figures were available but Councillor Imran Hussain, the Council’s executive member for safer communities, said he believed the number of deaths in West Yorkshire had fallen.

However, he vowed work to cut drink-drive deaths would continue.

“One death in these circumstances is one too many,” he said.

“Working in partnership with the police, we will do everything possible to make people aware of the dangers of drink-driving and that it may not only affect them, but their family.

“We have an annual Alcohol Awareness Week, which highlights the consequences of drink-driving and the penalties people face.

“It is something we take very serious and we want to send a message to anyone that does it that they are going to get caught and brought to justice.”

The Telegraph & Argus last week reported that the number of fatal accidents on the district’s roads had halved in the past five years.

Figures showed that last year there were 13 fatal accidents on the district’s roads, causing 15 deaths, compared to 26 accidents, causing 27 deaths in 2007.

Coun Hussain said the cut in fatal accidents showed how seriously the Council takes road safety.

He added that last month, West Yorkshire Police released a video showing the impact of drink-driving and the devastation caused to families when someone is killed in an accident.

Kevin Clinton, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “A lower drink-drive limit would save many lives each year, while effective enforcement of the drink-drive law is essential, and should be high profile and highly visible in order to enhance its effect as a deterrent.”