BOURNEMOUTH council has been rapped for its record on reducing road accidents.

The annual audit and inspection letter from the Audit Commission criticised the council for not meeting targets for reducing the number of people killed and injured on the borough's roads.

The number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in the borough fell by just one between 2004/5 to 2005/6 and remains more than 20 above the target.

In the letter from the commission, Martin Robinson said: "The number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions in the borough fell only slightly, from 86 in 2004/5 to 85 in 2005/6, compared with a target for the year of 64. The number of people slightly injured fell from 772 to 758, compared with a target of 716."

This put Bournemouth in the bottom quarter when compared with other unitary authorities and county councils over the last three years.

Residents of Charminster Road will not be surprised. After three accidents in 10 days on a short stretch of road, they are furious that the council will not prevent what they claim is dangerous parking.

Mark Edwards, of Charminster Road, said: "If nothing is done there could be 70 or 80 accidents in a year. Soon enough someone is going to get killed."

On Thursday morning the road was blocked by a collision near Charminster Library between a purple Cherokee Jeep, a silver Lexus and a silver Peugeot.

On Monday a silver Nissan Micra collided with a parked car in Charminster Road and last Monday a woman was taken to hospital after a crash, which closed the same road.

Geoff Turnbull, engineering services manager for Bournemouth council, said the figures for 2006/7 show 68 people killed or seriously injured when the target was 62.

He said: "We have prioritised our resources towards accident cluster sites to maximise accident reduction. Successful partnering with Dorset Police and the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership, safety audits, road safety education and joint road safety and highway maintenance schemes have led to marked reduction in the numbers of people injured.

"We are aware of the residents' concerns about safety on Charminster Road and we are looking into the possibility of introducing waiting restrictions on one side of the road.

"We will see whether the installation of traffic signals at the junction with Charminster Road is necessary to calm traffic speeds further."

All the issues addressed by the Audit Commission will be discussed by councillors later this month.

The commission gave the council three stars and found it to be improving adequately in most areas.