[Talk-GB] The DfT Cycle journey planner

[Peter Miller]

I notice that councils across England are being encouraged to  
contribute to the cost of collecting data for the national cycle  
journey planner based on ITN data from the OS. It seem particularly  
strange that local councils are now being asked to pay to collect data  
for the national mapping agency even thought the data can only be used  
with data from the national mapping agency!
http://www.planningresource.co.uk/news/ByDiscipline/Environment/915276/Call-councils-sign-online-cycle-planner/

Details about the journey planner can be found on the DfT website here:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/encouraging-cycling/journey-planner/

This FAQ does make passing comment that there are other planners, but  
makes no mention of OpenStreetMap or CycleStreets or OpenCycleMap etc
http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/docs/journey_planner_faqs.pdf

These 'terms of data collection' make interesting reading
http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/standard_terms_for_data_collection.pdf

OSM coverage of cycle demonstration towns is pretty good already and  
it would be truly weird for the Cambridgeshire County Council to pay  
for someone to survey Cambridge! Not all data is good, Darlington in a  
'UK Mapping Priority' and some of the places have gaps. Should we have  
a project to complete these towns?

I have created an article the demonstration towns here:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Cycling_demonstration_town

I have also created a category for the towns and added them to it.
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Category:Cycling_demonstration_town

Fyi, when I tried the DfT planner from  Manchester Piccadilly Station  
to the Manchester Oxford Road University Site it suggested I use a  
narrow cycle lane on the A6. I am pleased to say that CycleStreets and  
other OSM related planners suggested something better.

I really can't see how the DfT are going to be able to compete with  
OSM in this space and I am wondering how we can get them on side.




Regards,



Peter