The death toll on two of the county's most dangerous roads now stands at 12 in four years, following two more fatalities - prompting fresh calls for action.

On Christmas Day, Shane Vaughan, of Didcot, was killed on the A4130 near Didcot and on Thursday, December 21, Paulo Dos Santos, of Banbury, died when his van and a double-decker bus were in collision on the A415 outside Cokethorpe School, near Ducklington.

Mr Dos Santos's crash tool the death toll on the notorious stretch of road to six in three years and comes just weeks after Oxfordshire County Council announced it had not been granted Government funding to carry out improvements.

Brenda Smith, the West Oxfordshire district councillor for Standlake, said she was disappointed the funding had not been granted and said steps needed to be taken immediately.

She said: "I think, in the first instance, I would like to ask for cameras along the road as soon as possible, preferably today, but they must be working cameras. This surely is something the council can afford and must do immediately.

"That road never used to be a killer road. Cameras will help, but they do need to straighten it out as well. We need to know what the recommendations were in the report that was made before the application for funding from central Government.

"The county council needs to come clean and isn't being transparent about it."

County council road safety engineer Anthony Kirkwood said: "Prior to the recent fatalities on the A415, the county council carried out measures to help improve safety, including additional signing and road markings.

"A 50mph speed limit was put in place and Cokethorpe School has itself funded vehicle-activated warning signs close to the school entrance and exit.

"The recent accident history on this stretch of road is of great concern to the council and we're reviewing possible additional measures to help improve safety.

"However, we would strongly urge motorists to exercise caution at all times and, in particular, to reduce speed in adverse weather and traffic conditions."

Mr Kirkwood said speed cameras were among the possible measures that could be introduced along the A415.

Mr Vaughan was killed at about 10.15pm on Christmas Day when the blue Ford Fiesta he was driving came off the A4130 near Didcot and crashed into a field.

It was the sixth fatal accident on the A4130, between the A34 and Wallingford, in four years - and at least the second at Hadden Hill.

Patrick Greene, county councillor for the Moretons, said action was needed to prevent more deaths at the Hadden Hill blackspot.

He said: "I have been pushing for a long time for improvements to that stretch of road, either through signage or speed restric- tions.

"But at the end of the day the road needs to be rebuilt. It needs widening because it is a very dangerous hill and the banking makes it very difficult to avoid other traffic."

North Moreton parish councillor Keith Hutchence said local residents were also concerned about the road's safety record.

He added: "Over the years there have been lots of accidents and everyone in the village will know someone who has had an accident there. It is as bad as that."

Mr Hutchence said the county council had planned a roundabout at the Hadden Hill crossroads but it was on hold due to a lack of funding.

County council spokesman Jane Young said: "Early in the new year there will be a joint investigation of the area where the accident took place by Thames Valley Police and the county council road safety team. After this, we will be able to comment further.

"That will be in addition to the detailed investigations the police carry out after all fatal and severe accidents."

Jan Embling, of Sinodun Road, Didcot, has been campaigning for safety measures on the A4130, near the A34 Milton interchange, since her son Grant was killed in an accident in September.

In January she will present the county council with a petition, signed by 8,000 residents, backing her calls.

A lorry driver killed in an accident on the M40 has been named as 36-year-old Charanjit Singh.

Mr Singh, of Slough, died on December 21.

The accident happened in freezing fog at about 9.15am, when four lorries collided on the southbound carriageway near Aynho, between junctions 11 and 10.