Google Maps Cycling Option Now In the UK!

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Deleted member 20519

Guest
Google will today turn on UK cycle-specific routing on its Maps feature. Sustrans' National Cycle Network routes are included.

The US has had the 'Bicycling option on Google Maps' turn-by-turn journey planner since 2010. The UK gets it today: Google has now turned on the service.

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http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/google-maps-bicycling-route-finding-arrives-in-uk/013336
 

Friz

The more you ride, the less your ass will hurt.
Location
Ireland
Hell we might get it in Ireland now around 2020.
 

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
It's OK, but it's only mapping part of the bridleway near me, and seems to only include "official" sustrans routes.
I'll stick to bikeroutetoaster
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
Suppose it is a good thing, but cyclestreets and what it is derived from is a lot better than sustrans' mapping. It's good overall it has happened, but it sounds more like a sustrans propaganda piece reading it.

I had a look where I live and there's virtually nothing on there sadly. In other areas the coverage is much better.
 
OP
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Deleted member 20519

Guest
It's still in Beta, I'm sure it'll get better as time goes on/
 

Night Train

Maker of Things
I had a quick look and it seems to prefer main roads that I wouldn't cycle on as there are quieter and less traffic filled routes that run parallel.

I have just tried the route from my house to my local Am Dram theatre group.
The route there is my return route and the route back is my route there. It seems to prefer long steady ascents and short steep descents each way whereas I prefer it the other way around. A mile or two of coasting is better then a mile or two of climbing IMO.

It also doesn't like me crossing the motorway roundabout even though there is a cycle path around it, albeit one I don't use as the road is safer there.
 

ohnovino

Large Member
Location
Liverpool
I'll have a little play on that tonight. The route I use to cross the Mersey by Warrington involves using a bus gate, and Google is just about the only mapping company that shows it, so I'm slightly optimistic.

BTW, the latest update to their Android app finally allows you to pick areas and download the maps for offline use - handy if you want to use their maps while out-and-about without using 3G
 

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
I'll have a little play on that tonight. The route I use to cross the Mersey by Warrington involves using a bus gate, and Google is just about the only mapping company that shows it, so I'm slightly optimistic.

BTW, the latest update to their Android app finally allows you to pick areas and download the maps for offline use - handy if you want to use their maps while out-and-about without using 3G

It's had that for several versions in the "Labs" menu. It was very useful when I was cycling in Prague last year.
 

MrJamie

Oaf on a Bike
It seems good and doesnt stick too much to indirect Sustrans routes from what I can see. On MK>Bedford it follows mostly Sustrans but skips the massive unnecessary detour part. :smile:

I like how it shows the green cycle routes overlay so you can modify the routes quite easily :smile:

I imagine itll still suck for road bikes in places, but then you can probably use the car option and use the roads.
 

ohnovino

Large Member
Location
Liverpool
Hmmm. Just tried it for my commute. It found a couple of quiet roads, but then near the end it veered onto a very, very busy road for no obvious reason. The alternate routes were even worse. I'll stick to cyclestreets.
 
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