Quest to Correct Open Street Map Covering Dundee Road in Broughty Ferry

Click on map to enlarge

In 2009 I took up a mapping error with Google Maps, which wrongly labelled the section of Dundee Road where I live as Brook Street. Two years later I was able to report that my suggested changes had been incorporated into Google Maps. This seemed like job eventually done. At last taxis and parcel deliveries didn't need elaborate directions.


Yesterday, I was referred to Open Street Map who provide free access to world wide maps down to street level. When I checked their website, the same error I had detected in Google Maps three years ago was evident in their maps - see above. Since Open Street Map provide maps for a number of organisations and websites, I wrote to them to point out the error and hoped a member of their not for profit community would make the change in less than 20 months. Imagine my delight to receive an email twenty minutes later to say the change had been accepted and was already visible online. 


When my issue with Google Maps was publicised in 2009, I was teased by a number of my Councillor colleagues who offered to lead me back home in their cars if I couldn't manage without a sat-nav. Of course I took this in good part; but having an online mapping error affecting your street is really no joking matter in an age when so many commercial deliveries, businesses and individuals rely on online mapping.

Ferry Google Map Difficulty Should be a Laughing Matter no More

In Autumn 2009 I received some complaints about inaccuracies in Google online maps of Dundee Road in Broughty Ferry.  When residents like me checked our addresses on Google Maps, up came a map with Brook Street apparently extending past our front doors. No wonder drivers seeking directions on their sat navs or making deliveries were confused. 

In October 2009, I contacted Tele Atlas who produce maps for Google Maps and many Sat Nav sytems to let them know that there was this error on their mapping in central Broughty Ferry. 

When word about this appeared in the local press, some Councillors joked about whether I could find my way home after Council meetings without my sat nav. One Broughty Councillor even invited me to drive behind his car so he might guide me back to Broughty Ferry. 

Behind the jokes however there is a serious issue. So many of us rely on satellite navigation and online maps that when they contain inaccuracies this can have significant consequences such as getting lost or deliveries going astray.

So I was very pleased in May this year when I received news from Tele Atlas confirming that: 

'Based on a review of your report, we can now confirm that the change you suggested has been made. It will go out in the next release of our map database. .... Thanks again for your willingness to help keep Tele Atlas maps up-to-date and accurate!'

They did however explain that:
'Tele Atlas supplies maps to the companies that make devices or applications, not directly to the people who use them. We update the map we supply, so these companies can incorporate the map update in their own systems. When this process is complete, your change will be made available to you.'

After checking from time to time to see if the change had appeared online, I was delighted just before Christmas when I found that Google Maps had at last been updated.

If any other residents in The Ferry are experiencing difficulties with errors in online mapping in their area, they can contact me and I should be happy to take this up for them and I guarantee I won't treat it as a joke.

Santa Can Find Full Length of Dundee Road on Google Maps!

It is rumoured that Santa may be modernising his operation. If he is using Sat Nav to help guide his sleigh tonight, an update to online maps has come just in time time for a section of Dundee Road.

In October 2009, I contacted Tele Atlas who produce maps for Google Maps and many Sat Nav sytems to let them know that there was an error on their mapping in central Broughty Ferry. 


As a resident of Dundee Road, I had received residents' complaints about this issue. When I checked our shared postcode on Google Maps, up came a map with Brook Street apparently extending past our front doors. No wonder drivers seeking directions on their sat navs or making deliveries were confused.  

In May this year there was promising news from Tele Atlas confirming that 

"Based on a review of your report, we can now confirm that the change you suggested has been made. It will go out in the next release of our map database. .... Thanks again for your willingness to help keep Tele Atlas maps up-to-date and accurate!"


They did however explain that:
"Tele Atlas supplies maps to the companies that make devices or applications, not directly to the people who use them. We update the map we supply, so these companies can incorporate the map update in their own systems. When this process is complete, your change will be made available to you."


After checking from time to time to see if the change had appeared online, I was delighted this week to find that Google Maps had at last been updated.


Those Councillors who jokingly wondered whether I could find my way home after Council meetings without my sat nav will be relieved to know that I won't need any more of their directions.


If any other residents in The Ferry are experiencing difficulties with errors in online mapping in their area, they can contact me and I should be happy to take this up for them. 


Let's get all of Broughty Ferry properly mapped online; we can't have Santa delayed by dodgy mapping.