How To...improve Maps Of Your Local Area

Wayne Williams sets off to check the accuracy of his local maps and shows how you can correct and embellish maps of your own area.

Handheld devices have revolutionised the way we use maps, particularly when it comes to driving. Google Maps, for example, offers a brilliant service with directions, landmarks and live traffic information. But when you get down to a local level, its data isn’t quite as good. It can only know that a business has closed or a new one has opened if its users provide the relevant information, and it’s not much use for negotiating areas that Google’s mapping cars can’t reach, such as footpaths. In the latter case, Ordnance Survey maps do a better job and are available in various apps, but even these are often out of date, with services such as OpenStreetMap sometimes outperforming them, thanks to the input of individual map enthusiasts.

If you’ve ever looked at your local area on one of these maps and found something that isn’t quite right, this Weekend Project is about getting out and fixing it, whether that means updating Google’s local information or editing a rerouted footpath on OpenStreetMap.

Improve Google Maps