Python Module for Distance between UK postcodes
Question:
I need to calculate distances between UK postcodes.
I don’t want to use a web api.
Does a python module/ library exist for this?
Or do I have to put together something of my own using data from the OrdnanceSurvey?
Thanks,
Answers:
1/You can use any rest geolocation api eg google maps, that would provide you accurate distance based on the pincodes.
2/ You can use any updated database which has post codes and latitude/longitude information, and use that information to calculate distance between the two points.
Helpful links:
i) http://blog.acmultimedia.co.uk/2008/03/uk-post-code-distance-calculator-using-phpmysql/
ii) Django – how can I find the distance between two locations?
See below for simple code using the postcodes module for python along with the google maps distance matrix API.
from postcodes import PostCoder
import requests
import json
import pprint
pc = PostCoder()
origin_postcode = str.upper(raw_input("Enter origin PostCode:"))
dest_postcode = str.upper(raw_input("Enter destination PostCode:"))
origin = str(pc.get('%s' % origin_postcode)['geo']['lat'])+','+str(pc.get('%s' % origin_postcode)['geo']['lng'])
dest = str(pc.get('%s' % dest_postcode)['geo']['lat'])+','+str(pc.get('%s' % dest_postcode)['geo']['lng'])
data = requests.get('https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/distancematrix/json?units=imperial&origins=%s&destinations=%s&key=AIzaSyDfTip2PrdaRkF1muCLP8REAk3FsLjmBrU' % (origin, dest))
new = json.loads(data.text)
miles = str(new['rows'][0]['elements'][0]['distance']['text']).replace('mi','miles')
duration = str((new['rows'][0]['elements'][0]['duration']['text']))
print 'nnThe distance from %s to %s is %s, taking approximately %s (driving).' % (origin_postcode, dest_postcode, miles, duration)
This question is a bit old now but maybe worth pointing out the difference between polar coordinates (Long/Lat) used by Google and SatNavs and Eastings & Northings provided by the Ordnance Survey which shows how far a given postcode centroid is from a given datum point somewhere off to the South West of the Scilly Isles.
If you just want to work out distances it’s a one-liner using Pythagoras. EG Stonehenge to House of Parliament
>>> # Coordinates of Stonehenge and Westminster in E/Northings
... s = (412183, 142346)
... p = (530268, 179545)
... d = ((s[0] - p[0]) ** 2 + (s[1] - p[1]) ** 2) ** 0.5
... print (d)
123805.62517914927
I was looking for a library to convert from polar to Cartesian coordinates which is relatively tricky even on a perfect sphere which the world most certainly isn’t. I’m currently trying, and mostly failing, to get my head around this:
https://scipython.com/book/chapter-2-the-core-python-language-i/additional-problems/converting-between-an-os-grid-reference-and-longitudelatitude/
I need to calculate distances between UK postcodes.
I don’t want to use a web api.
Does a python module/ library exist for this?
Or do I have to put together something of my own using data from the OrdnanceSurvey?
Thanks,
1/You can use any rest geolocation api eg google maps, that would provide you accurate distance based on the pincodes.
2/ You can use any updated database which has post codes and latitude/longitude information, and use that information to calculate distance between the two points.
Helpful links:
i) http://blog.acmultimedia.co.uk/2008/03/uk-post-code-distance-calculator-using-phpmysql/
ii) Django – how can I find the distance between two locations?
See below for simple code using the postcodes module for python along with the google maps distance matrix API.
from postcodes import PostCoder
import requests
import json
import pprint
pc = PostCoder()
origin_postcode = str.upper(raw_input("Enter origin PostCode:"))
dest_postcode = str.upper(raw_input("Enter destination PostCode:"))
origin = str(pc.get('%s' % origin_postcode)['geo']['lat'])+','+str(pc.get('%s' % origin_postcode)['geo']['lng'])
dest = str(pc.get('%s' % dest_postcode)['geo']['lat'])+','+str(pc.get('%s' % dest_postcode)['geo']['lng'])
data = requests.get('https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/distancematrix/json?units=imperial&origins=%s&destinations=%s&key=AIzaSyDfTip2PrdaRkF1muCLP8REAk3FsLjmBrU' % (origin, dest))
new = json.loads(data.text)
miles = str(new['rows'][0]['elements'][0]['distance']['text']).replace('mi','miles')
duration = str((new['rows'][0]['elements'][0]['duration']['text']))
print 'nnThe distance from %s to %s is %s, taking approximately %s (driving).' % (origin_postcode, dest_postcode, miles, duration)
This question is a bit old now but maybe worth pointing out the difference between polar coordinates (Long/Lat) used by Google and SatNavs and Eastings & Northings provided by the Ordnance Survey which shows how far a given postcode centroid is from a given datum point somewhere off to the South West of the Scilly Isles.
If you just want to work out distances it’s a one-liner using Pythagoras. EG Stonehenge to House of Parliament
>>> # Coordinates of Stonehenge and Westminster in E/Northings
... s = (412183, 142346)
... p = (530268, 179545)
... d = ((s[0] - p[0]) ** 2 + (s[1] - p[1]) ** 2) ** 0.5
... print (d)
123805.62517914927
I was looking for a library to convert from polar to Cartesian coordinates which is relatively tricky even on a perfect sphere which the world most certainly isn’t. I’m currently trying, and mostly failing, to get my head around this:
https://scipython.com/book/chapter-2-the-core-python-language-i/additional-problems/converting-between-an-os-grid-reference-and-longitudelatitude/