Roads and paths - OS 25K map symbols

---

This is one of a series of articles which give photographs of features on the ground which have standard symbols on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, and also show the symbol. See OS 25K map symbols for introduction to the series, and links to other articles in it. Ordnance Survey have told us that although the symbols are copyright they allow them to be copied without charge or specific licence.

Click on a photo thumbnail to see a page with a larger photo, and other photo details. The photo page also has a section of the 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map; click on that map to see a section of Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale map.

For roads and paths there are only minor differences between symbols on 25K and 50 K maps. See Road and path symbols on 50K maps for our examples of the latter.

Description	Symbol	Photo	Notes
Motorway			Motorway numbers M6 and M69 are also on this section of map, see Map link
Motorway services			The name of the service area is shown in blue lettering Map link.
Motorway junction number			Map link
Toll road junction number			Map link. Symbol shown on OS 25K extra symbols page but is used on 50K map as well.
Dual carriageway			Central division may be shown by dots, dashes, or a continuous line. On this section going North-West all three are shown on the map, although the central division is a fence on the whole section. See Map link
Main (A) road			Road numbers are on this section of map Map link
Services on main road			Map link
Secondary (B) road			Map link
Narrow road with passing places			Map link
Road under construction			As the map will in due course be updated to show the finished road, here is a screen grab from Ordnance Survey Map at April 2010. Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey.
Road generally more than 4m wide			Map link shows a road over 4m wide (brown) crossing a road under 4m wide (yellow).
Road generally less than 4m wide		See photo above
Other road,drive or track - fenced - unfenced			Upper photo fenced Map link, lower photo unfenced Map link. Dashed line showing there is no fence can be one or both sides of road, and can be on A, B, or unclassified public roads.
Gradient steeper than 20% (1 in 5)			Map link Arrows point downhill
Gradient between 14% and 20% (1 in 5 to 1 in 7)			Map link Arrows point downhill
Ferry			The upper photo is a vehicle ferry, just shown with word "Ferry" on 25K map Map link. The lower photo is a passenger ferry shown as "Ferry P" Map link.
Path			The path in the upper photo is shown on the 25K map by a dashed line Map link, that in the lower photo by a dotted line Map link (on 25K path only goes part way across the grid square, on 50K it continues across).

Map symbol images are Crown Copyright.

---