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ITN Urban Paths theme
In OS MasterMap® Integrated Transport Network™ Layer (ITN), the Urban Paths theme contains line and point features that establish the path network, along with additional information on ferries, junctions, path names, and the type of path, such as whether it is a footpath or a bridle path.
Go to: Theme definition | Representation of the paths network | Path names | Path geometry | ConnectingLink | ConnectingNode | Pedestrian ferry routes | FerryLink | FerryNode | FerryTerminal
Urban Paths can also reference Path Routing Information (PRI), which provides additional data on movement restrictions or requirements that might affect a choice of path.
Theme definition
Description: The topological network representing man-made paths and pedestrian ferries (not international routes) within Great Britain.
Theme rule: theme = ‘Path Network’.
Features:
- Path
- PathLink
- PathNode
- FerryLink
- FerryNode
- FerryTerminal
- ConnectingLink
- ConnectingNode
Representation of the path network
As the Urban Paths Network is a representation of the paths in the real world, the manner in which paths features are stored digitally follows a set of rules to ensure that representation is consistent throughout the product.
Path names
Paths are captured in the Urban Paths Network theme as Path features. Each Path feature represents a named path, for example, Camden Passage, and may be composed of one or more PathLink features. The Path feature also includes information on the path type, name and a set of references to the PathLink features that provide the network topology of the path. The path name is collected by Ordnance Survey, usually during a ground visit.
For some of the longer paths in Great Britain, Path features may relate to links that are not connected. This ensures that all PathLink features comprising a single and discrete named path can always be related to its name, regardless of whether all the links connect.
A single PathLink can have more than one path name; for example, if a PathLink has both an English name and a Welsh name.
As there are many paths with the same name (for example, Back Alley), a Path feature is created referencing the PathLink features in a given area that represent a single named path.
On rare occasions, if there is a break in a PathLink, two (or more, depending on the nature of the break) new named Path features will be created, both having the same name but referencing different links.
Path geometry
The general alignment of a path is represented in the data by PathLink feature. These features include information about the geometry of the link, the length of the link, the type of path the link represents, such as a footpath or bridle path, and references to the PathNode features at either end of the link.
Grade separation information (identifying if one PathLink is above another) is also included to indicate any restriction on accessibility from one link to another where they cross at footbridges or subways.
As the geometry of PathLink features fall within the OS MasterMap Topography Layer polygons that represent the path area, PathLink features include a reference to those polygon features in the OS MasterMap Topography Layer Roads, Tracks and Paths theme. In figure 1 the PathLink features (TOIDs osgb4000000066513467, 'osgb4000000066513468, 'osgb4000000066513469) fall within and reference OS MasterMap Topography Layer path polygon (TOID osgb1000000334379755) that surrounds Brean Close.
Figure 1: PathLink and PathNode features
Note: In the first release of ITN Urban paths this reference to the underlying topography is not populated but will be added later in the product life cycle.
ConnectingLink
A ConnectingLink is a new feature introduced in the Urban Paths Network theme, providing a logical connection between a path and a road. A ConnectingLink feature has no real-world geometry and is connected by two nodes – a PathNode and a ConnectingNode.
ConnectingNode
A ConnectingNode represents the position of the connection between a Path feature and a Road feature. A ConnectingNode is one of the nodes at the end of a link and has a reference to the underlying network it belongs to.
Pedestrian ferry routes
Vehicular ferry routes are indicated by a combination of the following three features and are comparable to the way in which the Urban Paths Network is represented.
FerryLink
The existence of a pedestrian ferry service is represented by a FerryLink. This feature does not have geometry itself but represents a logical link between the locations where a ferry allows pedestrians to embark and disembark. FerryLink features include references to the FerryNode features that represent the start and finish point of the link; a straight line can be inferred from these two nodes. The Urban Paths theme also introduces a descriptiveTerm attribute, indicating whether a route is suitable for pedestrians
FerryNode
The ends of a FerryLink (this may indicate part of a ferry route for multi-stage services) are represented by a FerryNode. These features represent the locations of the ends of FerryLink features and have single-point geometry. A FerryNode feature may serve multiple FerryLink features if more than one destination is served from the same location.
As FerryLink features do not have geometry of their own, they cannot intersect in the same way PathLink features do. As a result, FerryNode features will only ever exist at a location where people are permitted to embark and disembark. A pedestrian-only ferry route will be identified using descriptiveTerm.
FerryTerminal
The ferry and path networks are linked by a FerryTerminal feature that represents where a change of mode in transport may occur, for example from a pedestrian path to a ferry or vice versa. A FerryTerminal feature has no geometry but simply provides a logical link between the footpath and passenger ferry.
In this section:
ITN Technical specification – home
ITN Road Routing Information (RRI) theme
ITN Path Routing Information (PRI) theme
Feature types and attribution in the Road Network theme
Feature types and attribution in the Road Routing Information theme
Feature types and attribution in the Urban Paths Network theme
Feature types and attribution in the Path Routing Information theme
Descriptions of ITN Layer attributes
Attribution checklists for the Road Network and Urban Paths Network themes
ITN attribute definitions and values
This web page is part of the technical specification for OS MasterMap® Integrated Transport Network™ Layer. For the terms that apply to use of this specification, refer to Purpose of this specification.