Locking Policy

Preamble - to be added when posting in the forum

As we are all aware, the Editor locking system has gone through some changes in the last year. Area Managers have lost full access to their entire AM area. Many segments were automatically locked to the level of the last editor before we got the ability to control lock level. Some editors have been, perhaps, rather more zealous with locking than is necessary.

As a result, we have decided to create a segment locking policy for the UK. This will help to give back some control to the AMs, whilst making sure that important routes are appropriately protected.

We know that Waze are working on a system of "road ranking" - where segments will be automatically locked at a level based on how "busy" or "important" the system thinks they are. Whilst this is undergoing testing, we don't know how the final version will work or what impact it will have. If this does come in, we will no doubt have to revisit this subject.

---

ADVISED LOCK LEVELS

This policy is not a "licence to lock". It is intended as a guideline for the MAXIMUM locking level to be used for the convenience of the community. Mass-locking segments may be considered as abuse of the system and editors doing so may have their area reduced/removed or their editing rank decreased. Also, if you intend to lock segments, you should be regularly visiting the forums to help with the task of answering unlock requests.

Freeways & Major Highways (UK Trunk Roads)

These are an exception. They should all be locked to L5, including their associated ramps & junctions. They are primary routes that should all be correct by now and need to be protected to keep major routing working.

Minor Highways (A roads)

There is quite a variety of these - some are major routes that are part of the UK Primary Route Network. Some are simply "main" roads through city areas.

Important Minor Highways should be locked to L4. Protecting these routes is also important so they should probably be locked to L4 whether or not they have been checked - but you should make your best effort to verify they are correct before locking.

Less important Minor Highways should not be locked above L3 - and not locked unless checked.

Primary Streets

Only primary streets that are actually B roads should need to be locked - and these should not be locked above L3.

Roads Not Matching Aerials

With the change to Google satellite imagery (which seems to be much older for most of the UK), there will probably be more of these. It is advisable that these are locked at L5, to prevent well-meaning editors "correcting" them.

"Unexpected" Junctions

These are odd situations that occur sometimes: a no-right-turn where you wouldn't expect one; a short one-way segment at the end of a two-way road; a deliberate no-name segment joining double-mini roundabouts. If you think that a feature is likely to be reverted by someone who doesn't know what was intended, it is acceptable to lock it.

Vandalism

If an area is subject to repeated bad edits, it may be locked up. This should only be done after discussion with the community and the approval of the UK Country Administrators (who may want to take further action).

Toll Segments

These should be locked to L5 to prevent interference.

Level 6 Locks

So far we have not identified any occasions where we really need to use L6 locks. We don't have so many L5 editors that we can't all keep track of what's going on, so we hope not to need it. But, if you have a situation that you feel needs a L6 lock, please post on the forum for discussion.

Northern Ireland

This is a special case: they have long suffered from very poor satellite imagery, they never had a basemap import and they don't have many high-level editors. Assistance from the Mainland UK is always appreciated, but mainland editors should not lock anything above L3.