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Hi, We have been looking at the following map http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=17/57.60007/-4.32581 and cannot find any comment as to what the black bold 'U' references and numbers stand for, can you explain please.

Peter

asked 18 Jun '14, 13:04

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Dryrun
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edited 18 Jun '14, 14:15

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SomeoneElse ♦
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I suspect that it's the reference number for an unclassified road. Here's one (not yours - another example):

http://www.openstreetmap.org/way/36913872

In that case the previous mapper has added "source_ref:ref" to explain where they got it from (although I'd have just used source:ref personally).

One thing that they didn't do that I would have done would have been to add "ref:signed=no" if there's no sign on the ground - there's no point in a Satnav reading out "turn left on the U1234" if there's no U1234 sign anywhere.

If your example doesn't have any source for the ref I'd definitely ask the previous mapper where it came from - not all sources may be compatible.

Also, I'd consider using "official_ref" rather than "ref" for references for C, D and U roads that aren't actually signed. No-one knows the numbers apart from the council; it is only misleading to people such as yourself for a general purpose map to display them.

EDIT: Found one of yours - looks like one of the same set by the same previous mapper.

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answered 18 Jun '14, 13:23

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edited 18 Jun '14, 13:32

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question asked: 18 Jun '14, 13:04

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last updated: 18 Jun '14, 14:15

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