THE HIGHEST ever traffic levels on the A34 at Oxford have prompted urgent calls for the government to stop 'dragging its feet' over a major review and take action to save lives.

The county's two new MPs have joined their colleagues in the campaign for safety improvements, with Layla Moran – whose constituency is sliced in half by the road – claiming ministers need to act quicker.

It comes as figures obtained by the Oxford Mail show the number of vehicles passing Oxford each day is at its highest ever recorded, with one in ten travelling through county an HGV.

Oxford West and Abingdon's new MP Layla Moran said: "Safety should be the highest priority for the government yet they seem to be dragging their feet on the issue.

"Now they suggest the 'Oxford-Cambridge' Expressway is the answer, but I am not convinced as the plans are so new and the implications so large this answer does not tackle the fact that people are in danger now.

"We need action promptly to save lives."

An estimated 80,818 vehicles passed Oxford daily on the A34 last year, 15 per cent higher than the same time five years ago, according to figures from the Department for Transport .

It is the highest since records began in 2000, with the figures also showing an estimated 8,360 HGV's passing Oxford on the A34 every day.

Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds said: "Although the A34 is not within Oxford East, it is used by thousands of my constituents on a regular basis.

"Improving safety on the A34 is obviously essential from a human point of view but it's also crucial for Oxfordshire's economic development, given the frequency of road closures.

"For that reason, upgrading the A34 was prioritised in the Oxfordshire Science Declaration which came out of the Science Summit which I convened last year.

"I will be pushing the Government to make good on it's promise last year."

Former roads minister John Hayes announced a safety review of the A34 in November following a number of fatal crashes, but as yet a firm date has not been set for the recommendations.

Tragedies include the death of three-year-old Isla Wiggin, who was killed when a lorry driven by Thomas Hunter ploughed into the family car in August close to the Hinksey Hill junction.

Two weeks earlier another lorry crash claimed the life of a family of four as HGV driver Tomasz Kroker admitted to using his phone behind the wheel and smashed into a queue of cars.

The horror crash took the lives of Tracey Houghton her two sons Josh and Ethan and partner's daughter Aimee Goldsmith.

New research commissioned by comparison site Confused.com reveals almost a quarter of injuries caused by crashes with HGVs are fatal or serious.

A Highways England spokeswoman said: "Safety is Highways England’s top priority and we keep safety on the A34 under constant review.

"The incidents that happened in August and September last year were particularly tragic, and moved us deeply.

"The A34 has a lower than average accident frequency, and there is nothing that suggests there is anything about the road’s design or operation that contributed to any of these incidents."

Highways England said the review is still ongoing and improvement recommendations are expected to be proposed later this year.

It added that the A34 has a 'lower than average' accident frequency.

MP for Witney and West Oxfordshire Robert Courts added: "As we approach the anniversary of these tragic accidents on the A34, and with more recent accidents on the A40, I want to praise the hard work and progress already made to improve the safety of these roads.

"I will continue to work with colleagues to find a joined-up solution to the various problems on this road and others.

"Sadly, many of these incidents are caused by dangerous driving - more needs to be done to ensure we all improve our driving habits and that the seriousness of these crimes is fully understood."

The Confused.com research also revealed one in three drivers have had a crash or near miss with a lorry, and two in five drivers surveyed thought motorway speed limit for lorries should be 50mph or lower.

Latest crash figures from Highways England show from January 2011 to November 2016, there were 157 collisions on the A34 northbound between the M4 and the M40, almost twice the number that took place on the southbound carriageway, at 85.

Early findings from the review showed crash blackspots included the stretch of carriageway between Oxford and Bicester and from Milton to East Ilsley.

North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis is continuing to back the campaign over concerns for constituents travelling into Oxford for hospital appointments.

She said: "The A34 remains a key concern for me in this Parliament.

"Road safety is extremely important, particularly with more people using the A34 to get to Oxford given the ongoing suspension of obstetric services at the Horton General Hospital.

"We made good progress in our discussions with the Department for Transport and Highways England before the election, and I hope that we will continue to do so in the coming months."