Trap Streets

Do you include, or have you ever included, "trap streets" in any of your maps? By "trap streets" I mean deliberate misinformation, be it fictitious (eg. the insertion of non-existent roads) or stylistic (eg. the subtle stylistic altering of rivers' widths) in any of your maps?

Thank you for your e-mail dated 9th March 2010. I am pleased to provide the following in response to your request:

Ordnance Survey seeks to collect accurate and comprehensive information on the official names of all roads and streets which have them.  Street names are recorded from the physical name tablet where these are publicly displayed along the road.  Otherwise local enquiry, validated by Local Authority verification, is used. 

Streets and roads are occasionally renamed by relevant authorities and new names are incorporated into Ordnance Survey mapping as soon as convenient following Ordnance Survey becoming aware of any change.  

Any inadvertent errors or unrecorded changes which are brought to the attention of Ordnance Survey are amended as soon as convenient.

Ordnance Survey does not deliberately misrepresent street names, and has no policy or documents relating to this therefore is unable to help you with your enquiry, as we do not hold this information.

Please note that your enquiry has been processed to Freedom of Information guidelines. If you are unhappy with our response, you may raise an appeal to our Appeals Officer at:

Complaints Team

Customer Service Centre

Ordnance Survey

Romsey Road

SOUTHAMPTON

SO16 4GU

Please include the reference number below. The Appeals Officer will ensure that the process has been followed correctly, questioning any decisions taken regarding the original response and recommending disclosure of additional information if appropriate.

Thank you for your enquiry.

Reference number: FOI1049/March 2010