Fears over the safety of pedestrians crossing a busy road were investigated days before a man was hit by a bus and killed.

Police and traffic specialists met in London Road, Brighton, on November 12 to discuss the increasing number of accidents involving pedestrians and buses.

They agreed to put up barricades at the junction of the A23 and North Road as a result of the meeting, one of a series of routine road safety reviews attended by representatives from Brighton and Hove Bus Company and council highways officers.

Seven days later retired banker John Wilson died after being hit by a bus at the nearby junction of Old Steine and Castle Square.

The father-of-two, of Bellevue Gardens, Brighton, had been listening to classical music on his personal stereo when he crossed despite a red pedestrian signal and was hit by the bus.

Sussex Police traffic management officer Mark Dunn said: "In 2003 there were two or three incidents in quick succession which made us sit up and think is something wrong here.

"Pedestrian safety was something I raised a while ago because there was a large number of incidents involving the bus lanes between the Old Steine and Castle Square.

"The figures for accidents last year raise questions and the road has been reviewed with a view to improvements being made in crossing points.

"The number of incidents was significant enough to raise concerns with us and the council last year and it is now looking at what other measures can be taken to make crossing points safer."

One person died and another 13 people were injured in accidents with buses travelling between Castle Square and St Peter's Church, York Place, from January to December last year.

At least two other pedestrians have been seriously injured on the same network of bus lanes this year.

Mr Wilson's family, who said he drilled road safety advice into his two sons, believe the confusing bus lanes around the Old Steine may have been to blame for his death.

The same bus lanes have been criticised by retired town planner Henry Law, who wrote to the city's highways team about risks to pedestrians three years ago.

The former Lewisham Borough Council officer, of Queen's Gardens, Brighton, said: "The bus lanes around the Old Steine are treacherous and if changes are not made to the system there will be more accidents.

"There needs to be a review of the roads with particular attention to buses turning into Castle Square because there have been a number of accidents within the length of the bus lane. The whole system needs to be thought out again."

Officers from Brighton and Hove City Council today refused to discuss pedestrian safety measures in and around the Old Steine, but confirmed a highways technician had met Sussex Police and representatives of the city's bus company earlier this month.

A council spokesman said: "The police are currently investigating the accident, so it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this stage.

"However, we do take road safety extremely seriously and will continue to do our best to ensure everyone can walk safely around our city centre."