This overview introduces OS Open USRN and gives context for all users – highlighting key features, providing examples of potential uses, and listing details such as supply formats, currency, etc.
OS Open USRN is an open dataset of all Unique Street Reference Numbers (USRNs) within OS MasterMap Highways Network, with an associated simplified line geometry representing the geographic extent of each USRN.
A USRN is a unique and persistent identifier for a street contained in either the National or Scottish Street Gazetteer. Every street, road, track, path, cycle track or way is assigned a USRN by a Roads Authority, Local Highway Authority or Highways England.
This product has been designed to enable users to easily share information held against a USRN with a location and to link together information associated with USRNs, enabling location-specific visualisation and analysis.
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility that means they are the source of information for both street naming and managing the highways / roads network. Each authority is provided with a USRN range that is centrally allocated and managed by GeoPlace in England and Wales, and by the Improvement Service in Scotland.
The key features of the OS Open USRN product are:
Inclusion of all live USRNs published within the OS MasterMap Highways Network, including Type 1, 2, 3 and 4 streets.
A simplified line geometry representing the geographic extent of each street, with a single line feature for each USRN.
Attribution that includes the USRN identifier and Street Type.
Information about the structure of the product can be found in the OS Open USRN Technical Specification.
OS Open USRN enables users to:
Share information held against a USRN with a location.
Link together information associated with USRNs.
Conduct location-specific visualisation and analysis.
This product has not been designed to be used for the street or road works statutory processes where the necessary additional detail for coordination is found in either the National Street Gazetteer (NSG) for England and Wales or the Street Gazetteer for Scotland. Nor does the product provide a topologically structured network suitable for road routing, where the additional detail and complexity provided in OS MasterMap Highways Network is required.
This overview includes the following sections:
On this page you'll find product supply information for OS Open USRN, including THE available format, the supply mechanism and the currency.
This product is only available in GeoPackage format. It is supplied as a single GeoPackage for the whole of Great Britain.
GeoPackage (GPKG) is an open standard data format as defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). GeoPackage is designed to be a lightweight format that can contain large amounts of varied and complex data in a single, easy-to-distribute and ready-to-use file.
Please be advised that older versions of GIS software may need updating before being able to display and interact with GeoPackage files.
GeoPackage offers users the following benefits:
The single file is easy to transfer and offers the end-user a rich experience.
Attribute names are not limited in length, making it user-friendly.
The file size limit is very large at 140TB, so lots of data can be easily accommodated (please note that a file size limit may be imposed by the file system to which the file is written).
It supports raster, vector and database formats, making it a highly versatile solution.
It is an OGC standard.
In most cases, it is a plug and play format.
For information on how to open, use and understand a GeoPackage dataset, please refer to our ‘Getting Started with GeoPackage’ guide. Further detailed information on GeoPackage can be taken from the GeoPackage website.
OS Open USRN is supplied as a free online download and is available without registration from the OS Data Hub.
This product covers Great Britain and includes all USRNs which are present in OS MasterMap Highways Network.
OS Open USRN is available as a Full Supply only. Areas of interest (AOI) orders and Change-Only Updates (COUs) are not available for this product.
The product will be refreshed on a monthly basis (in-line with the OS MasterMap Highways Network product release on the first working day of each month).
The OS Open USRN product uses the British National Grid (BNG) coordinate reference system (CRS).
BNG uses the OSGB36 (EPSG 27700) geodetic datum and a single Transverse Mercator projection for the whole of Great Britain. Positions on this projection are described using Easting and Northing coordinates in units of metres. The BNG is a horizontal spatial reference system only; it does not specify a vertical (height) reference system.
Please view our 'Guide to Coordinate Systems in Great Britain' for more information on CRSs.