Solent Students’ Union free Safe Solent taxi service returns!
Solent Students’ Union (Solent SU) is thrilled to announce the return of Safe Solent for 2023/2024, starting on Monday 6th November at 6pm.
Safe Solent is a free taxi service that all Solent University students can use to get home after a late-night study session at the university library at East Park Terrace.
For this academic year, Safe Solent will operate from Monday to Friday, between 6pm to 11pm during busy periods for students when they will be on campus more regularly. The full running times for the year can be found at www.solentsu.co.uk/safesolent.
The first operating times will be from 6pm on Monday 6th November until 11pm on Friday 17th November.
The scheme is run by Solent SU in partnership with Southampton’s biggest taxi company, Radio Taxis (Southampton), and is part of the Union’s initiative to help students feel safer in the city centre, especially during the darker months.
Students will be dropped directly to their door if they live in specific areas in Southampton, including the Polygon, West Quay, Bevois Valley, Ocean Village, Portswood, Shirley, Freemantle and more.
Jignesh Kiree, Vice President of Wellbeing at Solent SU, said: “Safe Solent is one of the Students’ Union’s biggest and most successful initiatives for students, and we are extremely proud to bring it back for the 2023/24 academic year.”
Abril, a third-year student at Solent University, who uses the Solent SU Safe Solent taxi service said: “I use Safe Solent because as a woman I feel safer when I’m in a taxi at night rather than having to walk by myself from the library. I don’t have to worry about much when I get into a taxi knowing that Safe Solent taxis also have cameras inside them to keep everyone safe.”
Jignesh continued: “We received a lot of positive feedback about the Safe Solent scheme, especially from young female-identifying students, and it’s good to hear that students feel safer while using our free service without having to compromise on any aspect of university life, including their studies, especially as the days are becoming shorter and darker much earlier.
“Student safety is one of our top priorities as a Students’ Union and this is part of an on-going and wider campaign to increase overall student safety in the area.
“On behalf of Solent SU, we also want to thank Radio Taxis Southampton for continuing to support us.”
For more information on Safe Solent, as well as the full area map, visit www.solentsu.co.uk/safesolent.