Bing maps subsumed the UK company Multimap and maintains many of the features that are specific to the UK.

Bing Maps UK

By late 2010 the mapping features of the UK company Multimap were no longer to be found on the web. Bing Maps replaced Multimap in the UK and elsewhere, but retained many of the great features found in Multimap, although it presents a different surface appearance. It also retains features unique to Bing Maps so largely gives you the best of both products.

A first look at Bing Maps UK -

Go to the bing.com homepage and click on Maps in the left navigation pane. If you are based in the UK, then a map of the UK should be revealed. The Map menu shows that this is actually a London Street Map, at a low zoom level. If you zoom in, you zoom into a detailed street map of London. 

• Bing maps UK have, no doubt, placed this functionality up-front for their UK users because it shows the application at its best. 

Much of bing map's functionality came from Multimap,  the UK company that was Google Map's main competition in the UK. Multimap, being London based, put a lot of effort and expertise into its London street maps. 

Of especial note is the topographical shading of parks, water features, and buildings. Interesting sites, such as subway stations, museums, hospitals, universities, and theatres, are also shown in stand-out detail at appropriate zoom levels. 

If you click on the Maps menu (headed London Street View, if you have followed our instructions so far) you will see another option is Road. Clicking Road will reduce the Street View to a more basic road map. 

If you return to the London Street View and zoom across many levels, you see maps flickering from raw Road maps to the 'richer' London Street Maps, which originate from the Collins Bartholomew London Street Map.

Although the London Street Map view is interesting, its ubiquity is rather irritating for those not based in London. For instance, if you search for Glasgow you get a road map of Glasgow, but London Street Map is still an option. Even more confusingly, if you select that option you remain in the Glasgow Road View!