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Reviewed by the Maplify Editorial Team. Editorial policy
OpenStreetMap contributors, accessed via Overpass API
Streets & Footpaths Map UK
Explore mapped roads, footpaths and nearby bus stops on an interactive UK map. Click a street for its mapped name, type, way ID, surface, access and nearest postcode; click a blue stop for available DfT NaPTAN attributes.
Explore mapped roads, footpaths and nearby bus stops on an interactive UK map. Click a street for its mapped name, type, way ID, surface, access and nearest postcode; click a blue stop for available DfT NaPTAN attributes.
What This Layer Shows
The Maplify Streets pane highlights OpenStreetMap road, street and path linework in teal. It includes mapped residential streets, service roads, footways, paths, pedestrian routes, bridleways, cycleways and other OSM highway ways where those features exist in the source. Click one line to select it; the selected line becomes magenta and the workbench displays its recorded details.
The main street record displays five OpenStreetMap attributes: mapped street or path name, OSM highway type, way ID, surface and access. Additional transport sections show the nearest postcode to the selected point and nearby mapped bus stops. Where official NaPTAN CSV data can be retrieved by ATCO area code, clicking a blue stop displays its complete available record.
Street lines and mapped bus-stop references are fetched via Overpass through a Maplify backend proxy. When possible, mapped ATCO identifiers identify a NaPTAN transport area whose official bus-stop data can be downloaded and spatially filtered. The interactive overlay appears at zoom 15 and above.
Why It Matters for Your Site or Property
A mapped road or footpath helps orientate a site and identify possible approaches, pedestrian connections, nearby paths and road layouts. A developer or surveyor can inspect the visible routes before arranging a more detailed site access, title or highways check.
OpenStreetMap is community maintained rather than a legal roads register. An OSM highway type, a mapped access tag, an unnamed segment or an apparent route across land does not determine legal access, public adoption, highway boundary, ownership, rights of way or road-maintenance responsibility.
Planning and Property Impact
For a development site, use the Streets layer to explore how mapped roads and footpaths relate to the property entrance, adjoining plots and wider local network. Where a route is material to a proposed scheme, confirm access rights, highway adoption and any necessary junction or stopping-up permissions with the relevant authority.
Public rights of way are legally distinct from the community-mapped footway and path lines displayed here. Where a footpath crosses or adjoins a site, consult the highway authority’s definitive map and statement. Do not treat the presence or absence of an OSM line as proof of a legal right.
How to Interpret This Layer
- 1Open the interactive map using the Streets button. The Streets pane appears alongside the map.
- 2Zoom to level 15 or closer and allow the live street linework to load. Teal lines represent mapped roads and paths.
- 3Click a teal road or path. Its line turns magenta and the selected street information appears in the workbench.
- 4Read the five fields: mapped name, OSM highway type, way ID, surface and access tag. Missing tags are marked Not recorded.
- 5Click another segment to compare its mapping, or use Clear to remove the selection. Check official records separately if legal road status or rights matter.
Official Data Source
Publisher
OpenStreetMap contributors, accessed via Overpass API
Coverage
Great Britain and available UK areas; local mapped coverage varies
Licence
Open Database Licence (ODbL) 1.0
Official source
https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
Data Freshness
Last checked by Maplify
2026-11-01
Last updated by source
Community-contributed edits; timestamps and completeness vary by road or path
Planned refresh frequency
Live query when the map viewport changes, subject to short-lived viewport caching and Overpass availability
Important Limitations
- This layer uses OpenStreetMap, not FindMyStreet, the National Street Gazetteer or a licensed Ordnance Survey street-maintenance dataset.
- The “highway type” is an OSM mapping category, not an official A-, B-, C- or unclassified road classification. A way tagged footway is not, by itself, a verified public right of way.
- The OpenStreetMap way ID is not a Unique Street Reference Number (USRN). No official USRN, operational street state, public maintenance status or responsible highway authority is returned by this five-field pane.
- Road names, access tags, surfaces and line geometry may be incomplete, absent, edited or outdated. “Not recorded” is an absence of a tag, not evidence that access is unrestricted.
- The live Overpass service can be busy or unavailable and the visible selection is capped to maintain map responsiveness. Zoom in or retry if an area returns few segments.
- The displayed mapped line is not an authoritative legal highway boundary, adopted highway extent or property boundary.
Common Use Cases
Property Developers
Explore mapped street approaches, pedestrian links and nearby routes before commissioning official access and highways checks.
Planning Consultants
Review street-network context as a preliminary input to site visits and transport assessments.
Architects
Inspect nearby path and street geometry during early design and access layout studies.
Surveyors
Locate mapped ways and compare their named and unnamed segments with other survey evidence.
Landowners
Explore visible roads and paths around a holding without mistaking community mapping for legal rights.
Related Layers
This layer is commonly checked alongside these related layers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I see streets and footpaths on Maplify?
Open the map, choose Streets and zoom to level 15 or closer. Teal roads and paths become clickable. Click a line to see its recorded OpenStreetMap attributes.
Which details appear when I click a street?
The main OSM record shows mapped street or path name, highway type, way ID, surface and access tag. Separate sections show the nearest postcode and nearby bus stops; clicking a bus stop reveals all available NaPTAN data when a matching official record can be loaded.
Why does a street say Unnamed or Not recorded?
These values mean the source way does not include the corresponding name, surface or access tag. The absence of a tag is not evidence that a road is unnamed officially or that public access is permitted.
Is a footway on OpenStreetMap a legal public footpath?
Not necessarily. Footway is an OSM mapping type and does not establish a recorded legal public right of way. Check the local highway authority’s definitive map and statement.
Does the Streets layer tell me which council maintains a road?
No. The five-field Streets pane is intentionally limited to OpenStreetMap attributes. A council’s Section 36 list of highways maintainable at public expense or an authorised register is needed to confirm maintenance.
Is an OpenStreetMap way ID the same as a USRN?
No. OSM ways have their own identifiers, whereas a USRN comes from the National Street Gazetteer. They are separate systems and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Does the access tag prove that a road is public or private?
No. OpenStreetMap access tags are community-maintained descriptors and may be missing or inaccurate. They do not replace formal highway records, ownership evidence or legal advice.
Does this layer include official NaPTAN bus stops?
Where a nearby ATCO transport area can be identified, Maplify queries official DfT NaPTAN CSV data and presents all source fields for a selected bus stop. Otherwise it labels bus-stop points as OpenStreetMap community mapping.
How often is the street mapping updated?
Maplify requests live OpenStreetMap features through Overpass as the visible map area changes. Changes made by the community can take time to appear, and API availability and local completeness vary.
Check Streets & Footpaths Map UK on Maplify
Open the map, generate a site report or save your search to come back to it later.
References and Methodology
Professional disclaimer
Maplify is a screening and due-diligence tool. This layer does not constitute professional advice, a planning decision, or a legal determination of any kind. Always verify critical matters with the relevant local planning authority, the data provider, or a qualified professional before relying on this information for a transaction, planning application, or development decision.