27th March 2009 – Today the People’s Map project launches a significant upgrade to its website bringing the vision of affordable mapping for all one step closer. The People’s Map represents the democratisation of the mapping process. Anyone can register, contribute and use the map for private, non-commercial use for free apart from a small delivery charge. But the People’s Map goes beyond this with fair perpetual licensing arrangements for commercial users with no derived data or ownership transferral restrictions, and entirely free of third party copyright. For many map users and producers who have fallen foul of Crown Copyright the People’s Map will be a breath of fresh air.

The People's Map is a web-based mapping project, which allows users to create their own mapping online by ‘drawing’ over Getmapping aerial photography. Users simply register and map everything from roads and land use through to points of interest, using the simple online editing tools. Newly created data goes through a thorough verification process to ensure that it is accurate and correct before it is added to the final 'verified' People’s Map layer, where it is rendered into 14 different scales. When new development postdates the aerial photography, GPS surveys can be added to ensure the most up to date mapping.

The People’s Map also sports a growing range of derived mapping products. These can be delivered as hardcopy, from 1:10,000 through to 1:1,000,000 scales, and in electronic raster and vector file formats. It is also available as a web feed either through WMS or via the People’s Map Javascript API. Vector datasets consist of the following data layers: Admin Boundaries, Buildings, Built Up Areas, Coastline, Contours, Drainage, Land use, Place name Gazetteer, Points of Interest, Roads and Railways. All these layers are available at all scales.

“The People’s Map is unique, enabling users to create maps specific to their own individual requirements,” said Tristram Cary, Managing Director of Getmapping. “This makes it suitable for a wide variety of different applications from professional GIS to web based mapping and design for print and media. If existing data does not include the information you want to display you can add it yourself, just go to www.peoplesmap.com, register as an editor, follow the instructions and get mapping! The People’s Map is really beginning to take off with new users registering everyday. The website is the first port of call for any individual or organisation interested in producing maps for their own use. As well as featuring many enhancements to the mapping process the new site has both technical and general discussion forums, an up to date blog and online help in the form of guides and screen casts,” continued Cary.