[OSM-talk] Map Co-ordinates for towns, etc in UK

[Richard Mann]

We're kinda proud of the fact that the government doesn't bother with such
things as defining the centre of the town (or seasons). It's just one of
those things that makes us different from ze French.

So the place tag will be wherever people feel like (usually the nearest
open space to the centre of town, to help rendering). And you should choose
your own centre of the town for measurement purposes. I suppose we could
crowdsource a set of zeropoints if someone comes up with an appropriate
tag. Just don't expect the place tags to be in the same location.

Richard

On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 1:14 AM, mick <bareman at tpg.com.au> wrote:

> I hope this isn't off-topic, if so I apologise.
>
> Can some one advise me of the official policy for locating the centre of
> towns in the UK, i.e. the spot on the map for a point representing the town
> and used as the Zero Point for measuring distances to other towns.
>
> In Australia this was taken as the centre of the road and the middle of
> the plot of land occupied by Post Office and marked by a triangular
> concrete mile post painted white with black characters about 1 metre high
> with a bevelled top. the vertical faces visibly from the road indicated the
> distance to the next town in the direction of travel. The upper face on the
> '0' post showed the distance to the state capital.
>
> I was told this by a NSW Dept of Main Roads Clerk of Works about 1973.
>
> When the roads went metric in 1976 these posts rapidly disappeared,
> replaced by "International Standard" metal posts with green shields marking
> the 5 KM intervals but with no 'Zero Post'. A few towns kept their Zero
> Posts and moved them to a park.
>
> mick
>
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