The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has announced that it will conduct an investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of a Year 7 schoolboy who was hit by a train on a pedestrian footpath crossing in Kenley when on his way to school last month.
Fatal scene: the Bourne View level crossing. Some locals have said it is a danger to the public
The fatal incident happened just after 8am on January 23 at Bourne View footpath crossing, between Whyteleafe and Kenley.
The boy’s school, Riddlesdown Collegiate, has named him as Jaiden Shehata.
At the time, British Transport Police ruled the incident as “non-suspicious”.
According to the RAIB’s announcement, the train was travelling at about 50mph at the time of the accident.
Bourne View footpath crossing, the RAIB said, “provides access for pedestrians between two residential areas of Kenley. The crossing has gates on either side of the railway and is provided with signage which instructs users how to cross”.
RAIB’s investigation will cover “the factors which may have affected the decisions and actions of the child as they used the crossing”, any previous incidents at the Bourne View footpath crossing and “how these may be relevant to this accident”, and “the management of risk at this crossing and Network Rail’s wider strategy for assessing and mitigating risks at footpath crossings”.
A funeral for Jaiden Shehata has been arranged for February 25 at St Mary and St Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church in Coulsdon.
Read more: Petition to close Kenley level crossing where schoolboy died
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The Purley to Caterham branch line is only 4 miles long (although that might be 4 “country” miles?!), and has plenty of crossing points (11), including at least one of almost every type of possible crossing in the country.
1 Road bridge under railway – Godstone Rd (near Purley station).
2 Road bridges over railway – Higher Drive, Hayes Lane and Burntwood Lane.
3. Pedestrian footbridges with ramps over railway – Little Roke Rd to Roke Rd, and Stumps Lane bridge btw Godstone Rd and Mosslea Rd.
4. Pedestrian footbridge with steps over railway – Old Barn Lane to New Barn Lane.
5. Road level crossings with gates/barriers – Whyteleafe Hill and Salmons Lane.
6. Footpath level crossings, with just look both ways signs (Bourne View).
7. On maps, there is also a footpath between Croydon Road and Stafford Road in Caterham (near Wapses Lodge roundabout) which seems to go over the railway line on a footbridge, but I have never seen that…
Of these, by far the most dangerous is the Bourne View uncontrolled crossing, and it is remarkable that it had not been replaced by a ramped footbridge over the railway line before…..!
The branch opened on the 5th of August 1856, almost 169 years ago. It would be interesting to know how many incidents there have been at this crossing. If the result zero (barring the recent sad death) then it can only be deemed as a safe crossing. Also, whenever I have to use this type of crossing, if a train is approaching it sounds its horn. Was this the case here?