The Road to Mothercare

So I know that I have blogged previously about Mothercare, that I would never darken their doors again, after they showed complete contempt for anyone trying to get to their store by cycle instead of car.

Clearly, it is fine to have principles but when one has a small child that demands a potty only available from mothercare otherwise she will poo with abandon anywhere of her choosing, principles take somewhat of a back seat.

On the way, the  cycling and walking infrastructure had been improved by someone dumping a lot of stuff next to it and setting it alight.

They had even provided a seat, presumably so the weary could rest and admire the vista.

Between the burnt out rubbish, the detritus scattered all along the path and the imposing concrete and barbed wire, the whole scene could be mistaken for a courageous art installation called "urban decay".


When going to Mothercare, I was a bit sad that I didn't have a child seat for the cycle so that the little one could come along. However, Haringey council have kindly stopped any such dangerous nonsense by installing a narrow gate on the off-road cycle path.

This means anyone with anything bigger than panniers on the bicycle cannot access. Presumably the contraption is designed to stop motorbikes and scooters using the path, but frankly, if the solution makes it impossible for legitimate users to access as well they may have well just put up a brick wall. If I did have a child-seat, or a trailer, or large panniers then I would have to either brave Meridian Way - a "40mph" road that is deeply unpleasant for cyclists - or find another way, or give up completely.