The City Council of Leicester, England has added an additional feature from its Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) partner SkedGo to improve the safety, sense of security, and inclusivity of its nighttime pedestrians.
A study of perceptions of personal safety conducted by the UK’s Office for National Statistics found that one in two women and one in five men felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a busy public place, while four out of five women and two out of five men felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a park or other open space. Similar trends were also found for use of public transport at night – according to a 2022 study from the UK’s Office for National Statistics – which stated that nearly 50% of women in Britain reported feeling unsafe using public transport alone after dark, compared with about 20% of men.
The City has been using SkedGo’s Choose How You Move app since early 2022 – a service that provides real-time journey planning. During the daytime, the app guides users along the quickest, healthiest and most convenient routes, but by adding SkedGo’s Lit Routing functionality nighttime pedestrians can choose more accessible, secure, and illuminated paths. The app reduces the perception of risk associated with being out after dark by suggesting walking routes that are well-lit and covered by CCTV.
“Lit Routing is more than just a feature; it’s our commitment to ensuring more accessible journeys for everyone in Leicester,” said John Nuutinen, CEO at SkedGo. “We believe in leveraging technology to break down barriers to mobility, and with Lit Routing, we’re shining a light on the path to inclusivity.”