After years of complaints from local residents, Google has agreed to remove erroneous hyphens from the name of the Wiltshire town Bradford on Avon across its online platforms. The issue originated in 1899 when the Great Western Railway (GWR) added hyphens to the town’s railway station signage to distinguish it from other similarly named locations. Since then, the use of these hyphens spread beyond the station and appeared in various online and print sources, leading to frustration among locals who viewed the punctuation as incorrect.

The movement to correct the town’s name online gained momentum recently, with Bradford on Avon residents launching a campaign urging major organizations—including Wikipedia, GWR, and English Heritage—to support the removal of the hyphens. The campaign drew particular attention after Tom Vaughton, CEO of the online search and data analytics firm Varn, identified approximately 5,800 instances of the misspelled name appearing on the internet, notably on Google Maps. Speaking about the campaign, Vaughton emphasized concerns over the rapid spread of inaccurate information, especially given the rise of artificial intelligence-generated content. He noted that, with a Varn office located in Bradford on Avon, the company felt compelled to act against what they described as “rogue hyphens” proliferating online.

Following the campaign and BBC inquiry, Google committed to rectifying the issue within 48 hours by removing the hyphens from its search results and mapping services. This development was hailed as a significant win by advocates for correct punctuation and accurate place naming.

While GWR publicly supported the campaign to restore the proper name, a spokesperson indicated that any modifications to its station signage would require navigating a series of industry-wide regulatory processes, suggesting that physical signage changes might take longer to implement. Meanwhile, other organizations approached by the campaign have yet to announce any official responses or updates related to their own references to the town.

The correction of Bradford on Avon’s name serves as a notable example of how local communities can influence large digital platforms to address and resolve inaccuracies, particularly in an era where swift dissemination of data online is prevalent.