According to a 2016 survey by Plan International UK, nearly two-thirds of women don't feel safe walking home alone after dark. So it's excellent to hear that transport app Citymapper has launched a new, safety-first option.
As its name suggests, Citymapper's "main roads" option gives you a walking route which might not necessarily be the quickest, but will help you to stick to busier (and hopefully brightly lit) roads rather than dark alleys and passageways.
Has anyone else noticed @Citymapper now gives you a “fast” walking option and a “main roads” one? Good for anyone vulnerable who might feel unsafe walking down quiet roads or alleys at night pic.twitter.com/DptKMcCAvD
— Anna Schaverien (@annaschav) December 5, 2019
The Independent reports that the London-based app introduced its new, safety-first function following a raft of complaints from women who'd been directed into the sort of quiet, poorly lit routes that it's sensible to avoid.
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"I really love your app but you need a safe mode for late night travel," a female user tweeted last year. "The route you gave me on Saturday was pretty ropey - luckily I hadn’t been drinking."
Hi @Citymapper 👋🏼
— Lil Patuck (@LilPatuck) April 15, 2019
I really love your app but you need a safe mode for late night travel.
The route you gave me on Saturday was pretty ropey - luckily I hadn’t been drinking.
Please don’t send women down unsafe alleyways late at night.@safeandthecity may be able to help here. pic.twitter.com/jIhKPtuFqL
Another user tweeted that she had emailed Citymapper three years ago asking for a "safe mode" option to reflect the fact that "especially in London, a lot of parks close at specific times, and even when they are open they are not safe anyway". She thanked the app for "finally" putting the idea into practice earlier this week.
To make use of the "main roads" option, you'll just need to download the latest version of Citymapper, or update the version you already have,
Launched in 2011, Citymapper now provides walking and public transport routes in 41 cities worldwide, including London, Manchester and Birmingham in the UK.
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