National Express has partnered with Women’s Aid to provide free coach transportation to survivors of domestic abuse across the UK as part of its Road to Refuge project. The project is an extension of Women’s Aid’s established Rail to Refuge programme. “Domestic abuse isolates survivors from their finances, making it incredibly difficult to escape to safety,” says Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid. “We are delighted to be working with National Express on the Road to Refuge scheme, removing the financial barrier to fleeing abuse and helping survivors access safe refuge at no cost to them.”
The scheme is vital, as survivors who are escaping domestic abuse are often advised to seek refuge far away from their perpetrator, something that can be challenging when they may have little money or belongings. National Express first supported the expansion of the Rail to Refuge scheme in 2022 when rail strikes made train travel impossible. From its launch in April 2020 until October 2023, Rail to Refuge helped 7,432 survivors, including 2,146 children, reach a place of safety. The charity’s research reveals that 64% of survivors would not have been able to travel without the Rail to Refuge free travel options.
Survivors who require assistance can request it from any domestic abuse service affiliated with Women’s Aid Federation of England, Imkaan, Scottish Women’s Aid or Welsh Women’s Aid (including Respect’s Men’s Advice Line). Refuge staff will book a free train or coach ticket, which they can send to the survivor via a mobile or post. Survivors can travel as normal without having to declare that they are on the move because of domestic abuse.
Survivors of domestic abuse in the UK will benefit from free travel via National Express coaches as part of a new partnership with Women’s Aid and its Road to Refuge scheme. Survivors are often advised to leave their environment and move to a safe place far away from the abuser, which can be an expensive prospect for those with limited resources. Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid, has welcomed the partnership as a key way of removing the financial barrier to escaping an abusive situation. The Road to Refuge scheme is a continuation of the successful Rail to Refuge programme. Since its inception in April 2020, Rail to Refuge has enabled over 7,000 survivors and their dependents to reach a secure location. Research conducted by the charity found that without access to free transport, over 64% of these survivors would not have been able to leave
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