‘Safe home’ app gets support as cost of living puts night-owls off taxis and Ubers

The cost of living is set to increase the number of women walking home from a night out rather than getting a taxi or a minicab home, according to new research.

A fifth of women told pollsters that they were walking more and taking few taxis at the end of a night out.

The safety of women on their way home has been in the spotlight over the past two years due to a series of incidents across the capital, with the death of Sarah Everard chief amongst them.

The survey, conducted by Budweiser, suggests that women would feel safer walking home if they had access to an app which could plot safer routes home.

Budweiser have given WalkSafe+, an app which uses senior Met detectives and crime analysts to identify crime patterns and gives users advice on the safest route home, a grant to fund research and improve the app user’s interface.

Emma Kay, the founder of WalkSafe, said it “is an app that should not have to exist, however research shows that personal safety is an issue that affects everyone.”

Brian Perkins, Budweiser Brewing Group UK and Ireland president, said he was “proud” of the collaboration and said he saw it as a “personal responsibility and purpose to make every experience with beer a positive one.”

The survey also suggested a majority of women would be more likely to visit a venue with proactive measures to stop harassment or discrimination.