Ordnance Survey puts The Black Country on the map

24 August 2009, 9:07am

Ordnance Survey puts The Black Country on the map

The first ever Ordnance Survey maps to include ‘The Black Country’ have been rolling off the presses today (21 August) at the mapping agency’s Southampton Head Office.

The OS Landranger Map 139 will now show the region by name and has been re-titled “Birmingham & Wolverhampton including The Black Country”. The maps will now be folded, packed and sent to retailers across the country to go on sale in mid-September.

The inclusion of The Black Country follows discussions with local councils, MPs and the Chamber of Commerce who see it as a way of highlighting the area’s cultural and historical significance.

Peter Mathews CMG, President of The Black Country Chamber of Commerce comments: “For The Black Country, which is where the Industrial Revolution started, to be officially recognised by Ordnance Survey is a great plus for Black Country and West Midlands business.

“Now people will be able to find us, they will be able to come to invest, to bring jobs and to do business and without the strong support and help that we have had from Ordnance Survey this would not have happened.”

Ordnance Survey usually does not show places on its maps that aren’t geographically defined, like a house, a road or an administrative boundary, but felt moved to react to the strong feeling in the region. Nicole Perry, of Ordnance Survey, comments: “We’re always happy to hear suggestions for changes to our maps and I hope that by now showing The Black Country we can help draw attention to the region’s historic and continued contribution to Britain.”

While Ordnance Survey is best known for its paper maps, like the famous OS Landranger Map series, they make up just a tenth of the work it does each year. Its main activity now centres on creating digital mapping data which underpins a range of applications, from in-car satnavs and emergency service response to flood defence planning.

However, the mapping agency has seen a surge in paper map sales this summer which it believes is due to more people talking their holidays in Britain instead of flying abroad.

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

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