Historical maps are invaluable tools for understanding the evolution of land use over time. They...
The transition to greener and more sustainable forms of mobility is an urgent priority for urban planners and policymakers across the United Kingdom. Cities and towns are reimagining their transport infrastructure to promote active travel, which includes walking, cycling and the use of public transport. The expansion of cycle lanes and bus lanes is central to this effort, creating safer and more accessible routes for commuters while reducing congestion and emissions. Achieving these ambitious goals requires not only vision but also access to precise and comprehensive data that can inform every stage of planning and implementation. Ordnance Survey’s National Geographic Database, known as OS NGD, is playing a pivotal role in this transformation by providing the detailed and reliable mapping data that underpins smarter mobility planning.
Active travel initiatives depend on a nuanced understanding of how people move through urban environments. Planners must assess existing infrastructure, identify gaps and opportunities and model the potential impact of new interventions. OS NGD delivers the high-resolution mapping and granular data layers that make this possible. With its extensive coverage and regular updates, OS NGD enables professionals to visualise the current landscape of roads, cycle paths, bus routes and pedestrian zones with remarkable clarity. This level of detail is essential for identifying bottlenecks, planning new routes and ensuring that investments are targeted where they will have the greatest impact.The transformative potential of OS NGD in advancing greener mobility becomes clear when you consider how it could be used in urban transport planning. Local authorities wanting to enhance connectivity between residential areas and city centres can leverage OS NGD data via CentremapsLive to comprehensively map current infrastructure alongside demographic and traffic flow information. This enables planners to systematically pinpoint locations where new cycle lanes and bus corridors would deliver the greatest impact, particularly in under resourced communities where improved active travel options can meaningfully increase accessibility and encourage more sustainable commuting habits.
During the planning process, the attribute data available from OS NGD, including road widths, surface materials and access restrictions, offers critical insights for designing routes that are both efficient and inclusive, ensuring accessibility for all users, including those with mobility needs. By integrating OS NGD with environmental and land use data, planning professionals are equipped to develop resilient transport strategies that support broader sustainability objectives and adapt to future urban growth.
Beyond the technical advantages, OS NGD will, in time, offer significant operational benefits through CentremapsLive. Over the next 12-18 months, NGD will be gradually introduced to our interface, providing professionals with easier access to the latest data. As this integration progresses, the platform’s intuitive design will make it straightforward to select and order datasets for each project stage, supporting agile decision making and faster project delivery.
The shift to greener mobility is as much about culture and behaviour as it is about infrastructure. The enhanced data sets available through NGD, once live on CentremapsLive, will empower planners to design safer, more convenient routes for walking, cycling and public transport, helping make sustainable travel a practical choice for more people. Detailed mapping insights will support targeted interventions that can drive lasting change, from lowering carbon emissions to improving public health and quality of life.
To keep pace with these developments, CentremapsLive’s YouTube channel continues to share insights into how NGD and other data products are enabling innovative mobility projects across the country. You’ll find expert discussions, offering practical guidance for professionals looking to leverage the power of geospatial data in urban and transport planning.
As cities and towns continue to invest in active travel and public transport, the need for reliable and comprehensive mapping data only becomes more critical. While OS NGD is not yet available on CentremapsLive, we are committed to bringing this next-generation dataset to our users soon - placing planners, engineers and policymakers at the forefront of sustainable development.
We invite you to stay connected with our platform and communications to be among the first to experience the benefits as NGD becomes available, helping you make smarter decisions and deliver more successful projects from start to finish.
