Having won the tender process, during which we outlined how we would approach the project, the client then supplied us with their in-depth route data which was imposed and finessed onto a basemap composed from the latest OS shapefile datasets.

 

We calculated that the entire borough would fit perfectly onto the B2 format if the western-half of the borough was portrait and the eastern-half landscape, with minimal duplication in terms of mapping overlap between the two sides. In fact, the new format we devised of ‘Almost B2’ (707mm x 495mm) proved very successful: there was very little paper wastage in the printing process (only the 5mm leading edge is trimmed), and the good-sized sheet folds very neatly into the handy pocket-size of 165mm x 101mm.

 

The Council’s advisory cycle routes of differing kinds are all shown, as are all the official London Cycleways, together with hundreds of attractions and sites of interest. Notable or prominent buildings are given a 3D effect.

 

The entire Borough is shown in all its 56-square-kilometres of dense urban area and open green spaces, and at a scale of 1:14,000 nearly every street is named and every building on view. Neighbouring areas and routes outside the Hounslow borough boundary are also shown but muted. A softened palette was used to allow all the route information to stand out.

 

The covers and five panels of relevant extra content (such as cycle training, bike schemes and mechanics) were designed by us to form a uniformed look, and a useful overview map created for the back-cover to put locales, major roads and the River Thames in context.

 

Hopefully this new map will go some way to enabling residents and visitors  to make better choices about how they navigate the London Borough of Hounslow by bike.