$3 taxi rides to keep students safe

The Otago Polytechnic student body and the institution are providing subsidised night-time transport for students during Orientation.

From Monday until the early hours of March 7, polytechnic students will be able to take $3 taxi rides, with the Otago Polytechnic Students Association and the polytechnic management splitting the remainder of the fares between them.

The scheme will run Monday to Friday from 10pm until 6am for students travelling from central Dunedin or Orientation events back to their own residences.

Students will have to obtain subsidy vouchers before their nights out, and fares will be subsidised by a maximum of $17 a trip.

OPSA co-president Meegan Cloughley said she particularly wanted to ensure young female students had a safe and affordable ride home. Her concern came as a result of a recent spate of sexual attacks on Dunedin women.

In what police say are unrelated incidents, four sexual assaults were reported to Dunedin police in the space of a week last month.

Police said most of the complainants were affected by alcohol.

One was 16.

Ms Cloughley's co-president, Ryan Ward, said the scheme had been organised with "a lot of effort" over just a few days.

"We are really thankful the polytechnic agreed to split the cost with us, and Dunedin Taxis people were a wonderful help with the logistics."

No-one was sure how many students would use the scheme or how much it would cost, he said. OPSA was prepared to fund a half share but was also approaching trusts and other sponsors for financial support.

Student safety was paramount, the co-presidents said. They advised students who chose not to use the taxi service to walk home with friends and classmates rather than going alone.

OPSA held discussions with the Otago University Students Association (OUSA) this week about organising some form of joint subsidised night-time transport scheme.

However, a joint approach could not be finalised, the OPSA presidents said.