SAFETY improvements at one of the borough's most dangerous junctions have been welcomed by the family of a student who died there earlier this year.

Praise Oduberu was killed after being hit by a bus at the junction of Southern Way and Bugsby's Way in Greenwich on April 17.

The 25-year-old student, from Belvedere, who was in Greenwich for an induction session into a summer job at The O2, had been crossing the junction when she was hit by a 486 bus.

Afterwards, the driver was arrested by police but has since been released without charge.

That incident was one of seven at the junction which caused injury over the past three years, four of which also involved buses.

Last week, a Greenwich Council highways committee met to discuss a series of proposed safety measures - a move which has been applauded by Ms Oduberu's family.

Her sister Priscilla Oduberu, 22, told News Shopper: "I think it's a good idea because it's been like that even before the accident.

"Me and my mum actually witnessed an incident there on that road before my sister's.

"We just saw a man lying on the floor as we were driving past."

She went on: "I think it's about time they did something over there.

"I still don't understand why drivers are still speeding up down the road when there's a corner and you just can't see what's coming."

She said the family, who gathered at the scene immediately after the accident to lay flowers and tributes, were still suffering.

She said: "It's still a very hard time for us.  My mum is still down a lot.

"It's not something you can get over because it was such a big shock for all of us."

Council officers have been working with the police accident investigation unit to come up with a raft of improvements following the increasing number of incidents.

The measures, which will now go into development, include steps to slow buses down at the junction and changes to the phasing of traffic lights.

Of the bus accidents at the junction, two caused serious injuries, while other incidents have involved a car hitting a traffic island and a driver jumping a red traffic light and colliding with a turning vehicle.


Improvements

- Remove the 'look both ways' road marking at the crossing point to stop pedestrian confusion.

- Replace a faded 'no entry' sign on the western side of the junction.

- Provide a large speed hump on Commercial Way prior to the junction, slowing down buses and raising the crossing point for pedestrians.

- Resurfacing the bus lane in Commercial Way in red to highlight the fact it is a bus only road.

- Discussions are also taking place with Transport for London over signal timings - currently, priority is given to buses meaning pedestrians have to wait a long time to cross.