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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Luke Traynor

Rail bosses make changes where boy, 12, killed on train tracks

Extra fencing has been installed at a spot near a bridge where a 12-year-old by was tragically killed on high voltage train tracks.

The Office for Rail and Road has investigated the circumstances in which young James Myers got onto the lives lines in Bootle, last October.

The secondary school pupil was immediately electrocuted at the scene of the incident on Bedford Road, close to a bridge.

The case was passed to the Office for Rail and Road, who regulate health and safety for the entire mainline rail network in Britain, and who launched their own investigation into the tragedy.

The government agency can initiate criminal prosecutions, if deemed necessary.

Inspectors visited the scene and spoke to Network Rail about how they had managed the site, and steps taken to stop people trespassing.

Floral tributes to 12-year-old James Myers on Bedford Road, Bootle. (LIVERPOOL ECHO)
Emergency services near the rail track on Bedford Road, Bootle, where a 12 year old child was later pronounced dead. (Liverpool Echo)

They have ruled no further action has been taken, and Network Rail have installed new fencing at the Bedford Road spot since James died.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of James.

"Since this tragedy, we’ve made the railway at this location even more difficult to access by fitting extra high-level fencing near the underpass and extensions to the access gate.

"Our plea is for people to never trespass on the railway because it can be so dangerous.”

After James died, friends said they believed his death could have been prevented.

One adult said: "There needs to be some safety here.

"You can easily climb on that handrail and get onto the tracks.

"It needs barbed wire or something like that.

"If children can get onto those live tracks, it needs something doing.

"This death could have been prevented."

A spokeswoman for the Office for Rail and Road said today: "We investigated the incident, since which Network Rail has installed additional fencing.

"ORR has not assessed a need for further action.”

James Myers, 12, who was electrocuted on the live railway line in Bootle (not trinity)

James was with another 12-year-old boy in the evening of October 14, last year, when the tragedy happened.

Afterwards, a large shrine of flowers has built up on railings on Kings Road, with friends describing their horror after the fatality.

Several "Justice for James" messages were also written on other tributes, an apparent reference to fears that the section of railway line was too easily accessible to children.

The 12-year-old was described as a "brother, mate, cousin, son, friend and grandson."

Other comments said: "Fly high," with a picture of a broken red heart, and "Gain your wings."

James was a pupil at Newfield School in Thornton where he was said to be "performing well" with his studies and was excelling in subjects including maths and English.

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