- Written by Thomas Mackintosh & James W. Kelly
- bbc news
image source, Metropolitan Police Department
Katherine Finnegan was killed by a bus outside London’s Victoria Station in January.
The sister of the woman killed at Victoria bus station in central London said at her funeral that the 56-year-old “enriched so many of our lives”.
Catherine Finnegan, also known as Catherine, 56, died on January 29th after being hit by a double-decker bus.
Friends and family flocked to County Galway to hear Mr Finnegan’s “Irish wit” and “contagious laugh”.
The Metropolitan Police said its investigation into the accident continues.
A spokesperson told the BBC that no one had been arrested.
Finnegan’s sister Teresa said she “enriched the lives of many of us with her energy and zest for life.”
She told the funeral mass in Tuam that Mr Finnegan moved to Harrow with friends when he was 19 and later moved to New Malden, where he put down roots.
“She loved her neighborhood and the neighborhood really loved her.”
“Network of Friends”
She said her sister had “developed a very special network of friends in London and we are forever grateful for the love and support they have given Kathleen over the years.”
“We have seen her untimely death cause shock and outpouring of sadness not only for her immediate colleagues but for many others across London.
“They will always miss her Irish wit, infectious laugh and ability to keep everyone riveted,” she added.
Ms Finnegan’s brother Austin said at the funeral that the tributes paid to his sister, including flowers left at the bus stop, were “humbling”.
On the day Mr Finnegan was fatally injured, photos on social media showed a red double-decker bus crashing into a passenger shelter at the Terminal Place bus stop.
The bus driver, a 46-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital but later returned home, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.
Transport for London (TfL) chief operating officer Glyn Barton said both TfL and bus operator RATP Deb Transit London were cooperating with police as the investigation continued.
“In the meantime, steps have been taken to ensure bus stops are safe for everyone,” he said.
TfL said damage to the bus shelter was kept safe by temporary barriers installed to prevent pedestrians from crossing at designated intersections.
Mr Burton added: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Catherine Finnegan.”
Broken glass covered the ground after a bus crashed into a shelter on January 29
There have been more than 80 fatal bus accidents in London since January 1, 2014, according to City Hall data.
Six of the incidents occurred at bus stations in Euston and Kingston in March 2014, Edmonton Green in 2020 and Walthamstow in December 2023.