Article

How did a map made at Steer end up in this book?

Well, when we started the #30DayMapChallenge on Twitter last year (2021), we never expected to get 56k+ views and 17k+ visits.

By Steer

Well, when we started the #30DayMapChallenge on Twitter last year (2021), we never expected to get the 56k+ views and 17k+ visits that we did for the Design for Movement team at Steer, but we did! 

At the time, we were just wanting to have some fun, maybe do a bit of team building, and give ourselves a challenge that we thought we could achieve - if we all pulled together. Little did we know that one of the maps created would find its way onto a worldwide stage and also be published in such a beautiful atlas.

The Lighthouses of Great Britain map by Oli Russell was for Day 3: Polygons. That could have covered a million different ideas, but for Oli, a chance encounter with some Wiki data led him to question what that would look like mapped, and so using his geospatial skills, the map was born.

Original Map on Twitter

How did a map made at Steer end up in this book

At the time, Oli received 105 likes - which for us starting out was a great boost to our morale. A week later, Mike Higgins contacted us to ask permission to recreate it in his book "Wild Maps: A Nature Atlas for Curious Minds", so we were thrilled to hear that it had sparked some further interest and of course were honoured that Mike had contacted us for permission.

We hadn't given it much thought as we approached 2022, but we were then told that Jack Dangermond (dubbed the "Godfather of GIS") had included it in his welcome speech at the Esri User Conference in San Diego—what a great endorsement!

See the speech from the Esri UC from 16mins30 onwards

Jack Dangermond opens the Esri UC 2022 by sharing the impactful work of GIS professionals, and showing how GIS is enabling positive change in the world we live. Esri users are an award-winning community.  

So, now the book is out (see below), we are halfway through the next #30DayMapChallenge and we're wondering which maps may capture the imagination of our clients, colleagues and the wider geospatial community? 

How did a map made at Steer end up in this book

Let us know!

Off

Subscribe to our newsletter, The Edit

We are Steer

Yes, you are in the right place. After 40 years, we have changed our name from Steer Davies Gleave to mark our growing international footprint and our expanding portfolio into sectors beyond transport.

Explore our new website to learn more about Steer: who we are, how we work and what our future holds.

Related insights

  • 22 Oct 2025
    Article

    Game Changers: The megatrends that will redefine global infrastructure

    Jon Peters
    Associate Director

    Our latest global insight report exploring the forces transforming how we move, power, and connect the world.

    Read more

  • 18 Sep 2025
    Article

    Ancoats Mobility Hub: Enabling car-lite developments

    By Steer

    Steer supported the UK’s first purpose-built Mobility Hub with commercial modelling to enable sustainable, car-lite regeneration.

    Read more

  • 01 Sep 2025
    Article

    Ropeways in India and what to expect

    Samhita Indurkar
    Associate

    India’s ropeway network is expanding fast. We explore key drivers, funding models, and future potential.

    Read more

  • 31 Jul 2025
    Article

    New study shows best ways to unlock value of UK railway station estate

    Richard Harper
    Director

    Steer and RIA outline strategies to unlock station potential, creating sustainable, connected hubs that drive social and economic value.

    Read more

  • 09 Jul 2025
    Article

    What makes for ‘good’ deliveries on the high streets of the UK?

    Fiona Jenkins
    Associate Director

    Deliveries are vital to city life. Steer helps design practical, people-first freight solutions for vibrant streets.

    Read more

  • 24 Jun 2025
    Article

    Can personas help us to fill the data gaps on LGBTQ+ experiences of public transport?

    By Steer

    During Pride Month, we’re reflecting on the role of visibility, not just in culture, but in infrastructure planning.

    Read more

  • 19 May 2025
    Article

    What we learned at ‘Ramping Up: Unlocking the value in EV infrastructure investment’

    By Steer

    What will it take to scale EV charging? Insights from our expert panel on the investment challenges and opportunities ahead.

    Read more

  • 04 Apr 2025
    Article

    How is EV doing in Europe’s Big Five economies?

    As Europe accelerates towards a zero-emission future, what’s really driving EV adoption—and what’s holding it back?

    Read more

  • 28 Feb 2025
    Article

    Planning transport for the next generation of New Towns: Vertiports or cycle lanes?

    Profile image
    Matthew Clark
    Associate Director
    Jon Williams
    Associate Director

    As the Labour Government eyes its 1.5 million housebuilding target, how can we ensure these communities work for the future?

    Read more

  • 07 Feb 2025
    Article

    ZEV Mandate – How’re we doing? - Penetration of EVs within the UK’s vehicle parc

    First in the Ramping Up series, this article explores the realities of EV market growth and its impact on key sectors.

    Read more

  • 24 Jan 2025
    Article

    What does 2025 have in store for infrastructure investors? Here is Steer’s outlook

    Antonio Beltrán Arranz
    Associate

    Steer’s Antonio Beltran Arranz explores key investment trends for 2025, from rail modernisation to renewable energy growth.

    Read more

  • 09 Dec 2024
    Article

    What did we learn at the Local Transport Summit 2024?

    By Steer

    Another successful Local Transport Summit saw Steer along with industry professionals from across the board congregate in Bedford this week.

    Read more