tarmackedFixing the map
Spotted a wrong speed limit, a one-way that isn't, or a road that's long gone? Here's how to put it right, for tarmacked and for everyone else.
Where our map comes from
Every road, name, speed limit and one-way in tarmacked comes from OpenStreetMap, a free map of the world built by volunteers, a bit like Wikipedia for maps. It's very good, but it's only as up to date as the people keeping it.
We rebuild our road data from OpenStreetMap every month. So once something is fixed there, it shows up in tarmacked within about a month, with no app update needed.
The map you see in the app is made the same way: we turn OpenStreetMap into our own map files each month and host them ourselves. The road data and map files on tiles.tarmacked.com are available under the same licence as OpenStreetMap, the Open Database License, and how we make them is public.
Directions and speed limits in tarmacked are a guide. The signs on the road always come first.
The quick way: leave a note
If you just want to say "this is wrong", a note is the easiest way. Local mappers see it and fix it.
- Go to openstreetmap.org and zoom in on the spot.
- Tap Add a note to the map (the speech bubble on the right), drop the marker on the road and say what's wrong. For example: "Speed limit here is 80, signs at both ends of the village."
- A free account lets you follow the note and see when it's fixed.
Fixing it yourself
It's easier than it sounds, and the change goes live on OpenStreetMap straight away.
- Make a free account at openstreetmap.org.
- On a computer, zoom in on the road and press Edit. The editor has a short walkthrough the first time.
- Click the road, find the field you want (Speed Limit, One Way, Name, Access) and change it. Then press Save and add a short note like "speed limit from signs".
- If the limit changes partway along a road, split the road at the sign first so each part gets the right limit.
On your phone, Every Door (iPhone and Android) and StreetComplete (Android) make small fixes easy once you've parked up.
A few ground rules
- Only add what you've seen yourself, from the signs or from being there. Copying from Google Maps or other maps isn't allowed.
- Never edit while driving. Make a mental note, or ask a passenger to drop a note.
- Your edits are public and show your OpenStreetMap username, so pick one you're happy with.
What's most worth fixing
Speed limits
A lot of limits on the map are out of date. In Ireland, many national secondary roads (N51 and up) went from 100 to 80 km/h in 2025, and lots of them still say 100 on the map. Lower limits through towns and villages are often missing too.
One-way streets and turn bans
If our directions send you the wrong way down a one-way street or into a banned turn, the street is probably tagged wrong. These are quick to fix and help every sat nav that uses OpenStreetMap.
Private and closed roads
A lane that's really a private driveway, or a road that's been closed off, should be marked as private or removed. In the app you can mark it private or gone so it stops counting against you. Fixing it on the map sorts it for everyone.
New roads
New bypasses and estates sometimes take a while to appear. If you know the area, adding them means everyone can colour them in.
Tell us too
If something on the map is causing trouble in the app, email support@tarmacked.com with where it is and what's wrong. We fix what we can on OpenStreetMap ourselves.