A new trial, regarded as a UK first, has been agreed between Glasgow and Ordnance Survey which could lead the way to other data initiatives with local authorities. Future City / Glasgow has been working in partnership with the national mapping authority to release information which has been produced using Ordnance Survey data and mapping.
Councils across the country can already share Ordnance Survey licensed and derived data with other licensed organisations, public bodies and citizens under a single agreement known as the One Scotland Mapping Agreement (OSMA).
Under the new Glasgow agreement, data produced using Ordnance Survey’s detailed maps will now be made available, under special developer terms, through the new open data portal http://data.glasgow.gov.uk. It could include anything from the location of cycle racks to gritting bins and recycling services.
The non-sensitive and non-personal information will be released openly via Future City / Glasgow’s new Portal. It is expected that the information will be of particular interest to businesses and IT developers keen to design commercial applications used by the public and other businesses.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Future City / Glasgow said: “This is another coup for Glasgow. I’m delighted to be working in partnership with the Ordnance Survey in this ground-breaking trial, which puts the city at the forefront of the open data landscape.
“The quality of information on Ordnance Survey maps is renowned. Being able to issue information from their maps will open up all kinds of opportunities for the public, businesses, academics and especially the developer community.
“This trial has the potential to open the door for other local authorities and creates a new market which has not existed in the UK before. The data will be available in an easily accessible and useable format. We hope it will inspire creative and innovative uses such as the creation of new services and products which can improve life in the city and further afield.”
John Carpenter, Ordnance Survey Director of Strategy, said: “Ordnance Survey has always been, and remains at the forefront of innovative solutions and open data and we are pleased to be working with Glasgow City Council in the development of new ways to support the citizens of Glasgow.
“We have worked hard to improve the access to our digital mapping and this new agreement with Glasgow is another positive development in our open data journey. We already have a vast range of datasets and licenses which enable businesses and developers to access our data and I am delighted that we are able to build on these with the Future City’s project.
“I am looking forward to seeing how popular the new agreement will be and hope to see many new and exciting products, services and applications being developed in Glasgow. We continuously review our open data terms and are always keen to extend examples of best practice to other areas of the country.”
The special licence will run until 31 October 2014 in line with the Future City / Glasgow programme.
