Slow Ways Initiative

General talk
1

Hi, all.

Not sure whether you have seen this British initiative:

Slow Ways https://ravenellison.com/portfolio/slow-ways/

Article in The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/jun/13/how-the-slow-ways-network-could-change-walking-in-britain

It seems like the creator, Dan, has had a really good idea, and that he is doing this with Ordnance Survey. I’ve written to Dan with the following thoughts:

  1. Have you thought about doing this using OpenStreetMap, rather than, or in addition to OS? My concern is that your excellent idea may be held back by OS licensing. “published online and made freely available via Ordnance Survey” is great, until OS decide that they don’t want to support it anymore.

  2. Have you considered having a ‘Waze’-type app that participants (users) can use when they are using the routes, this will award them points for the distance they travel, and perhaps multipliers, for using lesser known or out of the way routes? This sort of award motivates people to do more routes, and this will benefit footpaths and the health of the participant.

Not sure whether this idea has been discussed elsewhere in the OSM world, but it seems like a good idea which will probably grow/ fork, if the licensing is permissive (eg, Creative Commons or similar, rather than a restrictive option. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Chris

2

I read the advertorial in the Guardian when it came out, and suspect that OSM wouldn’t be much use to the companies and individuals concerned as OSM data is “free at the point of use” - there’s no need to “curate” data if it’s all in OSM already.

3

Hi Chris

I only just spotted this and had a similar thought to you. Did you get a response? I spotted on the website mention of a CC license (although not which kind) https://slowways.uk/frequently-asked-questions/

4

Richard Fairhurst has pointed out that the creator:

and creating a network of such routes from adequate OSM data is eminently feasible (it’s basically what his cycle.travel site enables for cyclists), and inherently more flexible (for instance different routes for different levels of mobility).