Roads, Tracks, and Paths

Roads

For Ordnance Survey purposes, a road is defined as a metalled way for vehicles. Roads that form part of the public network and driveways to private properties that are over 100m in length are normally included within OS MasterMap Topography Layer.

Tracks

A track, for Ordnance Survey purposes, is defined as an unmetalled way that is clearly marked, permanent and used by vehicles. Tracks are only normally recorded in private gardens if they are 100m or more in length. They need not be ‘all weather’. All tracks are described as ‘Track’, or ‘Tk’ if required to be abbreviated. Distinctively named tracks have their name recorded, for example, HICKS LANE (Track).

Paths

For Ordnance Survey purposes, a path is defined as any established way other than a road or track. They can be considered as either ‘made’ or ‘unmade’.

Made paths

Made paths are those whose surface is paved or metalled. Only major paths are shown in parks, public gardens, cemeteries and so on. Made paths are described by the annotation ‘Path’, except in built-up areas, where the description will not normally be recorded. Distinctive names, such as ‘Simmons Walk’, are also included as part of OS MasterMap Topography Layer.

Unmade paths

Unmade paths are those that are neither paved nor metalled. An unmade path is included in OS MasterMap Topography Layer when its entire length is evident on the ground and it starts at a road, track or path and finishes at a similar feature or a specific place of interest. Unmade paths are described by the annotation 'Path (um)' in urban and rural areas.

Physical features shown in the Roads, Tracks and Paths theme are listed below:

Kerb lines or the limits of metalling:

• Carriageway Limits, including any hard shoulder or shallow drainage gullies forming the side of the road on dual carriageways or motorways

• Kerbed Roundabouts

• Traffic Islands in roads (usually 8m² or more)

• Traffic-calming measures forming a physical obstruction, including pinch points

• Dedicated Cycle Lanes

• Fords

• Car Parks

• Edges or centre alignments of tracks and paths

• Step treads

Road furniture:

• Mile Posts

• Guideposts (traditional fingerposts only)

• Kerb Barriers

• Gates across roads

• Posts preventing vehicular access

• Weighbridges

• Cattle Grids

Road-bounding features:

• Hedges, Walls, Fences, and Banks

• Crash Barriers (where they form the sole bounding feature of a carriageway)

Non-physical features shown in this theme are represented as distinctive and descriptive text and inferred links.

There are two situations where constraints on how the features are depicted are normally imposed by survey tolerances:

• Where the central alignment of an unmade path is less than 1m (urban areas) or 2m (rural and moorland) from an adjacent building, fence, hedge or wall, the central alignment is shown at that minimum distance away from the feature.

• Where one edge of a track is parallel and close to the bank of a water feature, the track edge nearest to the river is omitted.

It is important to note that rights of way are not identified in OS MasterMap Topography Layer. The representation of a road, track or path cannot be used as evidence of a right of way.