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Welsh Taxi Firm Expands University Partnerships

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Leading private hire and taxi group Veezu [headquartered in Newport] has expanded the number of partnerships it has with universities across the UK through the launch of its latest Safe Taxi Scheme, in the city of Bath.

Bath Spa University Students’ Union becomes the sixth to partner with the group on a collaborative scheme to ensure that all university students can get home safely after a night out, even if they don’t have cash to pay at the time. Veezu group now operates similar schemes in four UK cities, under three separate taxi brands, with the first scheme in Leeds having run successfully for more than 25 years.

Veezu’s Safe Taxi Schemes are now run at Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University, through Dragon Taxis; the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University, under its Amber Cars operation, Bristol University and now Bath Spa University, through the group’s newest brand, V Cars.

V Cars will operate the Bath Spa Student Union’s Safe Taxi Scheme, which is to be used in emergency situations, between the hours of 9pm and 3am, seven days a week. The scheme allows students to book a taxi journey for up to four passengers, to the value of £20, even if they don’t have enough money for the fare.

Under each scheme, local students can call the taxi operator’s main switchboard and quote the relevant Safe Taxi Scheme to book, a car will be sent as a matter of priority with the student needing to present a valid student card as proof of ID. The chosen drop-off point must be a student residential address, halls of residence, police station or hospital. Students then have 48 hours to settle the bill at the Student Union, with members of the union team available to offer support and advice.

Bath Spa University chose to partner with V Cars based on the taxi firm’s positive reputation in the city, along with the experience of the firm’s parent company in operating similar schemes in other parts of the UK.

Enya-Jayne Battersby, Students’ Union Vice President for Community said:

“We are proud to have launched the Safe Taxi Scheme with V Cars, which has been introduced to ensure students’ safety. It will give them access to emergency travel when they are concerned for their own, or their friends’, safety.”

General manager of V Cars, Chris Neary, said;

“We are delighted to be able to provide this service to students of Bath Spa University, as part of our commitment to ensuring safe travel right across the city. Our experience of operating similar schemes in other parts of the UK has been extremely positive and gives students and their families the peace of mind to know that it is there if needed.”

Business News Wales