More than 70 domestic abuse survivors used free Northern rail service to reach safety during lockdown

Over 70 survivors of domestic abuse were able to seek refuge services in the North of England by accessing Northern’s free Rail to Refuge scheme.

Rail to Refuge is a joint initiative between rail companies and Women’s Aid, where operators cover the cost of train tickets for women, men and children who need a safe haven. 54 adults and 19 children used the scheme on Nothern’s network between April and November 2020 to travel to safe accommodation.

People escaping domestic abuse are usually advised to seek refuge services at a considerable distance from their perpetrator, however paying for train fares can be challenging, particularly in cases where abuser restrict their victim’s access to money.

The Rail to Refuge scheme aims to remove this barrier by offering free train tickets for women or men, and their children, to travel to a recognized refuge and is funded by the Rail Delivery Group.  

The scheme was first introduced last year after domestic violence campaigners saw a rise in requests for help as coronavirus lockdown measures came into force, and it has now been extended until the end of March. 

Tricia Williams, Chief Operating Officer at Northern, said:

We are proud to be able to support this scheme. Our staff are working hard to support the survivors of domestic abuse in these difficult times while keeping the railway running for the local communities who rely on it.” 

Nationwide, the scheme has supported almost 1300 people to find safety, including 273 children.

Joanne Bridger, Procurement Coordinator at Women’s Aid said:

When we started the Rail to Refuge scheme, we did not imagine how our lives would be changed by COVID-19. However, in response to the news that domestic abuse worsened – as perpetrators used the pandemic as a tool of abuse – the scheme was extended across the whole of mainland Britain’s rail networks, thanks to the generosity of the RDG, Northern’s support of Women’s Aid, and our partner organisations in England, Scotland and Wales, and has shown that all of us can work together to end domestic abuse.

“Northern should be incredibly proud of the support it has provided to Women’s Aid, the refuges in our Federations, and the hundreds of passengers who have been able to take these life-saving journeys.”

Jacqueline Starr, Chief Operating Officer at the Rail Delivery Group, said:

We’re proud to have provided a vital lifeline for over a thousand people escaping a desperate situation, but there are still too many women, men and children that need help. Our staff are working hard to support the survivors of domestic abuse with free train journeys while keeping the railway running for all the people, communities and local economies that rely on it.”  

Traveling to leave an abusive environment is allowed under Covid-19 restrictions.

The scheme is available to people who have already received an offer of a refuge space. Tickets are only able to be booked through a verified refuge: more about the scheme is available here, with further support on offer via a LiveChat service provided by the Women’s Aid charity.