Walking and cycling paths on the National Cycle Network will now be available on official Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping. The new partnership by Sustrans with mapping expert OS will help more people to discover and access the Network. The two organisations have joined forces to provide detailed, user-friendly and accurate information on the Network’s 16575 miles of traffic-free and quiet on-road cycling and walking routes spanning the whole of the UK.
This information will be available as a free layer on the OS Maps website and will help more people to discover routes in their local area and plan weekend trips away. Each year, around 4.4m people use the Network for leisure, commuting and the school run. In 2017, there were 410m walking trips and 377m cycling trips on the Network. The data also showed that around the UK, more than half of the population live a mile or less from the network.
Speaking about the partnership, Xavier Brice, CEO of Sustrans, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Ordnance Survey to open up walking and cycling on the National Cycle Network to more people. Our work with OS is one of the first steps in helping us improve the user experience and create more accessible paths for everyone. We hope the new maps inspire more people to get out, discover and explore all that the Network has to offer – whether that’s on wheels or by foot, for commuting or leisure purposes.”
Nick Giles, Managing Director of Ordnance Survey Leisure, added, “We love the focus Sustrans has on making the outdoors more accessible no matter where they live, what age they are and what background they’re from. OS Maps users will also love the new layer to help them find new cycle routes and explore more on two wheels.”
The map can be accessed through a new website which offers a simple way to search for routes on the Network.
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