Google Maps has imposed an online roadblock ... from Sydney to Brisbane.

true lilly Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:35 am

Long way round

A problem with Google Maps has imposed an online roadblock on the Pacific Highway, stretching north from Sydney to Brisbane.

Google Maps goes highway haywire

Updated:
January 06, 2012 23:19:40

Photo:
The Google map is advising drivers to avoid the Pacific Highway (Google maps)
Map: Byron Bay 2481

A problem with Google Maps has imposed an online roadblock on the Pacific Highway, stretching north from Sydney to Brisbane.

A request for directions between Sydney and Byron Bay using Google
is currently recommending an inland journey through Armidale and
Tenterfield rather than the more direct Pacific Highway route.

Transport Management Centre spokesman Dave Wright says the bug is also affecting
direction advice on the New South Wales Government's Live Traffic website.

"Obviously we will be taking it up with the third-party provider in the hope that
they will actually fix the problem as soon as possible," he said.

"It's only an advisory problem that we have as far as the mapping is concerned with Google.

"It's not affecting any of our incident reporting whatsoever on livetraffic.com; it's only really affecting that myjourney routing, where people want to find out how to get from A to B."

Google says its map system is not infallible and that motorists should not follow its directions "blindly".

A Google spokesman says it is possible that incorrect data or other errors may result in bad directions at times.

"No driving directions, whether printed, displayed on a map, or spoken,
should be followed blindly," he said in a statement.

He says the problem is being dealt with.

"We've flagged it and it will be adjusted soon."

Topics:
travel-and-tourism,
byron-bay-2481,
tenterfield-2372,
armidale-2350,
coffs-harbour-2450,
port-macquarie-2444

First posted
January 06, 2012 13:19:34