PRODUCTIVITY levels in offices across Worcestershire are likely to have plummeted yesterday morning as people took virtual tours of the county using Google’s nationwide Street View imaging service.

As reported in yesterday’s Worcester News, the online gadget featured 25 cities when it was launched last March – but has now been extended to cover more than 95 per cent of UK roads.

Web users can now take a close-up view of Worcester’s streets using images which were captured by cars fitted with a special panoramic camera on its roof. Google’s cars have been spotted out and about in Worcester over the past year.

People can “zoom-in” on their chosen location then click the on-screen arrows to follow the roads in whatever direction they choose. It is also possible to get close-up views of homes, offices and popular landmarks across the county.

Already a number of users have been taking advantage of the new service, posting their favourite images online using Twitter.

Google believes the service will be a boost for UK businesses, which can embed its maps into their own sites for free. For example, a bed and breakfast owner can promote the local area by offering potential customers a virtual stroll through its streets.

People who are moving house to unfamiliar areas can also take a closer look at the neighbouring properties and surrounding attractions.

A spokesman from Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce said: “With employers already concerned about IT policies and internet usage with sites such as Facebook and Twitter, this is another possible distraction. It’s too early to tell how beneficial it is going to be for businesses.

“The technology is new and probably under-utilised at the moment. It will take about a year for us to gauge how useful the website will be.”

Despite featuring images visible only from public roads, Street View has attracted critics, who believe the detailed street-level information could be exploited by criminals and is an invasion of privacy. Google has taken steps to preserve anonymity by automatically blurring number plates and faces. Users can also ask for their homes or cars to be removed.

Campaigner Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “For many, Google’s Street View cameras are an upsetting invasion of privacy. People tend not to be asked whether they are comfortable with it coming to their town.

“When it arrives somewhere for the first time, those who are concerned should check it to see if they or their property are now on worldwide public view.”

To find your street, visit maps.google.co.uk