The mapping website Multimap is one of the most visited sites in the UK, attracting around 190 million page views and 10 million unique users each month.

But popularity brings its own problems. When so many people use you every day, you have to make sure you get it right when you decide to change things. Multimap is obviously feeling a little nervous about a new look it has unveiled in the last few days, since when you visit the site at the moment it lets you choose to go the old version of the site. They needn’t have worried so much.

The new look Multimap adds a host of new features that represent a huge leap forward in usability. The most obvious change is that the screen now looks far less cluttered than before.

On the left is where you enter the place you are trying to find or two places if you want directions between them. This site also uses Ajax technology which means that you can pull up and close down sections without having to refresh the page or go to a different page

The maps, both the main one and the small overview, while looking the same as they did before are now draggable. This feature will be familiar to anyone who has used Google Maps or Windows Live Local and is far more user friendly than having to click on arrows at the map edge to navigate around. All very web 2.0.

Another new feature is the ability to add markers to the map showing places of interest, such as cashpoints, car parks and wi-fi hotspots. Where these are up to date, these are useful. However, in my home town of Ampthill it lists two car parks at supermarkets that have long been demolished.

Driving directions are now clearer than ever. The directions are listed in a window at the left while the main map is divided into three windows – one showing an overview of the whole route, one showing the start and one showing the end of the journey, all of which are draggable. Multimap has also tidied up its printouts. Driving directions are now far clearer than before.

Walking directions have also been added to the site. However, the site’s database does not include all known footpaths so the directions shown sometimes do not represent the shortest possible route.

One quirky new feature is an eBay mash-up. Mash-ups, for those not conversant with web-2.0-speak, are sites which bring together information from two sources and, well, mashes them together. Here, it means you can pull up markers which show eBay items which are on sale in the area displayed on the map. This can be handy if you are looking to buy large items, such as cars, where you don’t necessarily want to trek across half the country to meet the buyer.

We love: Multimap has been crying out for draggable maps. Now it has them.

We hate: Out of date markers

Verdict

Design: 9/10

Navigation: 9/10

Content: 8/10

Fulfilment: 9/10

Overall score: 35/40

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