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It's like but with maps. Like the famous online encyclopedia that anyone can edit the (OSM) project allows people to create a detailed map of the world around them. And it could become very useful in this cold snap here in the Midlands.

The project started out with users recording their movements with GPS and then unloading the data to the OSM website. But now companies and governments are donating official mapping data and even ariel photography. Under the rules of the project all the maps produced are free for people to use in almost any way they want.This is in contrast to many existing sources which have copyright restrictions.

In the Midlands OSM volunteers have been out and about creating some interesting new maps. You can find them on the website. Today we're all very exciting in the newsroom about the approaching snowstorm and the Mappa Mercia website includes maps of the routes for gritting lorries around the streets of Birmingham and Solihull. Indeed the project is even starting to add the locations of individual gritting bins.

These are projects the teams can tackle inside in the warm for the most part. But once the warm weather returns they'll be out once again mapping the missing bits and in particular blitzing the Black Country.

There's much more to this project than just finding your local gritting bin. Making map data available for free to anyone for any use is an extremely exciting idea in the internet age. And once the weather improves we'll be returning to it and hopefully joining the Midlands mappers on a blitz of the Black Country.

You can find the Mappa Mercia website .

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