davidgillon | Municipal Improvements

So the new Rochester station (it's been open about 18 months) had the pedestrian crossing offset by about 100m from the station itself. So you came down Northgate, walked 10m to the right, crossed over the dual carriageway (the A2) and and went along to the station. And that 100m was about the best surface I've ever wheeled across - perfectly flat, modern flag stones that don't suck away your momentum.

But of course everyone on foot just came out of the station and tried to charge straight across the busy dual carriageway right in front of them like any herd of lemmings.

So they moved the crossing to be opposite the station. And now, instead of the best surface for wheeling across, which you can still see on the other side of the road, it's the worst. It's up, and down, and old garage forecourt entrances in that big-chipped tarmac that just grabs your wheels and sucks your momentum away, and where there is footpath it's cambered so steeply you're pushing forward with one hand, and back with the other to try and keep a straight line. I do seriously wonder if anyone at Medway Council has ever actually read Part M of the Building Regs, because when I finally got to the crossing I couldn't help noticing that the only safe place for me to sit while waiting for the lights to change actually blocks the entire footpath!

And it's just possible my impressions were coloured by the fact it was pissing down.