> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.os.uk/osngd/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.os.uk/osngd/using-os-ngd-data/os-ngd-transport/transport-networks-in-the-os-ngd/path-network.md). # Path network This page covers the Path Link, Path Node, Connecting Link, Connecting Node, Path, Cycle Lane and Street Light Feature Types which can help you build a path network. The Path Link and Path Node Feature Types make up the core part of the OS path network. Depending on your use case, the Path, Cycle Lane and Street Light Feature Types may be useful optional additions to the Path Link and Path Node Feature Types to help you build a more effective path network. The Connecting Link and Connecting Node Feature Types are key to topologically structuring path and road networks together. ## Path Link and Path Node Feature Types The [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) and [Path Node](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-node.md) Feature Types make up the core part of the OS path network: * **Path Links**: Line features usually representing the centreline of a path. Each Path Link will provide a reference to the Path Nodes at the start and end of the Path Link in the [Start Node](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md#startnode) and [End Node](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md#endnode) attributes, respectively. * **Path Nodes**: Point features providing network connectivity between Path Links. Path Nodes break up the road network at junctions, places where a Path Link changes character or name, and where a Path Link crosses another link (either a Path Link or a Road Link) at different levels. Path Links will split where two links cross over or under one another but there is no connectivity between the two, for example, at bridges. The [Start Grade Separation](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md#startgradeseparation) and [End Grade Separation](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md#endgradeseparation) attributes will indicate where there is or is not a physical connection between the paths in the real world. Grade separation will determine if a Path Link is above another; if the two Path Links, when referencing the same Path Node, have different grade separation attribute values, then it is not possible to move between them at that point. Where a Road Link crosses a Path Link at a different level, both the Road Link and Path Link will split. Attribution on Path Links includes the name of the path, surface type and elevation gain. {% hint style="info" %} Path Links are captured where they provide a route that cannot be inferred from the road network. If the route of the path can be inferred from the road network, for example, a pavement, it will not be captured as a separate Path Link. For further information on pavements in OS NGD data, see the [Pavements page](/osngd/using-os-ngd-data/os-ngd-transport/pavements.md). {% endhint %} ## Connecting Link and Connecting Node Feature Types The road and path networks can be topologically structured together, and two feature types are key to achieving this: * [**Connecting Links**](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-link.md): Links that represent a connection between the road network and the path network (they do not represent a feature in the real world). A Connecting Link will always reference a Path Node on the path network via the [Path Node ID attribute](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-link.md#pathnodeid) and a Connecting Node on the road network via the [Connecting Node ID attribute](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-link.md#connectingnodeid). * [**Connecting Nodes**](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-node.md): Point features that identify the point along a Road Link which a Connecting Link, and therefore the path network, connects to. Connecting Nodes are spatially coincident with Road Nodes and can share the same identifier. This means that for routing purposes, Connecting Nodes are not required and the Road Nodes at the same location are used instead.
Example visualisation showing Connecting Link and Connecting Node features and how they connect to the road network. A background map has been included to provide context.

Example visualisation showing Connecting Link and Connecting Node features and how they connect to the road network. A background map has been included to provide context.

### Links to and from Path Link, Path Node, Connecting Link and Connecting Node
Data structure for the path network feature types in the OS NGD.

Data structure for the path network feature types in the OS NGD.

Other feature types in the OS NGD Transport Theme reference Path Links and Path Nodes to tell you further information or to allow you to build a network. Below is a table describing all the links to and from Path Link, Path Node, Connecting Link and Connecting Node within the theme: | Source Feature Type | Foreign Key Attribute | Destination Feature Type | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | `startnode` | [Path Node](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-node.md) | | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | `endnode` | [Path Node](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-node.md) | | [Connecting Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-link.md) | `connectingnodeid` | [Connecting Node](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-node.md) | | [Connecting Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-link.md) | `pathnodeid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | | [Connecting Node](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/connecting-node.md) | `roadlinkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | | [Path](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path.md#path-link-reference) (Path Link Reference Table) | `pathlinkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | | [Street](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/street.md#path-link-reference) (Path Link Reference Table) | `pathlinkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | | [Highway Dedication ](/osngd/data-structure/transport/rami/highway-dedication.md#highway-dedication-network-reference)(Highway Dedication Network Reference Table) | `networkreferenceid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | | [Cycle Lane](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/cycle-lane.md) | `linkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | | [Street Light](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-features/street-light.md) | `linkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | | [Ferry Terminal](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/ferry-terminal.md) | `pathnodeid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | ## Other path network information While the Path Link and Path Node Feature Types make up the core part of the OS path network, other feature types – Path, Cycle Lane and Street Light – may be useful additions to help you build a more complete and effective path network or tell you about path naming. ### Path Feature Type A [Path feature](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path.md) is a multi-part link set which represents a collection of Path Link features that share the same name.
Example visualisation showing a Path feature (bottom image) and how it relates to individual Path Link features (top image). A background map has been included to provide context.

Example visualisation showing a Path feature (bottom image) and how it relates to individual Path Link features (top image). A background map has been included to provide context.

#### Link back to the path network The link back to the path network to tell you which Path Links the name applies to is represented through the [Path Link Reference table](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path.md#path-link-reference): | Source Feature Type | Foreign Key Attribute | Destination Feature Type | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Path](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path.md#path-link-reference) (Path Link Reference) | `pathlinkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | ### Cycle Lane Feature Type The [Cycle Lane Feature Type](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/cycle-lane.md) provides information about designated cycling infrastructure alongside the road or path network. Cycle Lane features are represented spatially as line features but are not a topologically connected network. They provide information such as the type, direction and width of the cycle lane. #### Link back to the path network The link back to the road and path networks is represented through the [Link ID attribute](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/cycle-lane.md#linkid) which will reference a Road Link or Path Link OS Identifier (OSID), while the [Link ID Feature Type attribute](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/cycle-lane.md#linkid_featuretype) will tell you if the linked OSID refers to a Road Link or a Path Link. | Source Feature Type | Foreign Key Attribute | Destination Feature Type | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Cycle Lane](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/cycle-lane.md) | `linkid` | [Road Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/road-link.md) | | [Cycle Lane](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/cycle-lane.md) | `linkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | Information on presence of cycle lanes can also be found on the [Road Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/road-link.md#presenceofcyclelane_overall_m) or [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md#presenceofcyclelane_overall_m) features themselves through the various presence of cycle lane attribution on both feature types; please see the [Road Link and Path Link attribution page](/osngd/using-os-ngd-data/os-ngd-transport/cycle-lanes/road-link-and-path-link-attribution.md) for further detail. ### Street Light Feature Type The [Street Light Feature Type](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-features/street-light.md) represents the location of pole-mounted street lights as point features. Street Light features can be linked back to the Road Link or Path Link they most likely illuminate. #### Link back to the path network The link back to the road and path network is represented through the [Link ID attribute](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-features/street-light.md#linkid), which will reference a Road Link or Path Link OSID, while the [Link ID Feature Type attribute](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-features/street-light.md#linkid_featuretype) will tell you if the linked OSID refers to a Road Link or a Path Link: | Source Feature Type | Foreign Key Attribute | Destination Feature Type | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Street Light](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-features/street-light.md) | `linkid` | [Road Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/road-link.md) | | [Street Light](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-features/street-light.md) | `linkid` | [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md) | Information on the presence of street lights and how well illuminated a link is can also be found on the [Road Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/road-link.md#presenceofstreetlight_coverage) and [Path Link](/osngd/data-structure/transport/transport-network/path-link.md#presenceofstreetlight_coverage) features themselves through the various presence of street light attribution. ### Path asset management information Street features and their associated data represent paths as well as roads – please see the [Streets and asset management information](/osngd/using-os-ngd-data/os-ngd-transport/transport-networks-in-the-os-ngd/streets-and-asset-management-information.md), and [National street gazetteers, GeoPlace and Improvement Service pages](/osngd/using-os-ngd-data/os-ngd-transport/transport-networks-in-the-os-ngd/national-street-gazetteers-geoplace-and-improvement-service.md) for further information. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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