"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 14:09:31 on Tue, 16
Oct 2012, Peter Campbell Smith remarked:
I believe that the building regs (for non-residential property) state
maximum gradients of 1:20 amongst various other parameters. I don't think
they actually forbid steps, but surely that's assumed.

Perhaps steps are covered by the gradient of the riser?

I also agree that steps like those are awkward even for the able-bodied.
There's a very similar set over the Peterborough inner ring road (between
the station and the City Centre) that are difficult to negotiate because
the steps are too big for one stride each, and too small for two strides
each.
--
Roland Perry

I've sometimes wondered if such 'awkwardness' is deliberate. A slope, or
regular steps, can be taken at a run. Designs such as this are more
difficult to move over quickly and tend to slow the flow down which might be
seen as safer.