[Talk-GB] Getting Highway Agency information into OSM

[Chris Hill]

On 03/07/14 17:51, John Baker wrote:
> The first thing I am worried about is the copyright of the various 
> plans. Some/many seem to be derived from OS maps.

A legitimate concern.
>
> Now I am no expert on the copyright situation here and dialogue is 
> difficult they know little about OSM really. He just said we release 
> the plans and they are public domain.....

There is no mechanism in the UK for a body like the Highways Agency to 
release data as PD. That is a mechanism used in countries like the US. 
In the UK the info would have to be licensed using a specific licence, 
such as the Open Government Licence. If the plans are based on OS maps 
then OS would have to agree to release this, according to OS's 
interpretation of copyright law. OS probably will not agree to this, but 
it is worth asking :-).

Without a suitably agreed licence we cannot trace such plans into OSM. 
You could visit the site and get GPS traces & photos to add such works 
to OSM, which is usually what happens as soon as a new road gets opened.

I'd be interested if the Highway's Agency have opened new roads and they 
are not included in OSM very soon after. That seems to me to be 
something we are pretty good at.

-- 
Cheers, Chris
user: chillly