Veezu expands anti-spiking drive to university cities after Norwich pilot success
- Perry Richardson
- Sep 27
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 29
Private hire operator Veezu is set to roll out its anti-spiking initiative nationally following the success of a summer pilot in Norwich. The initiative raised £6,000 for the national charity Stamp Out Spiking and is being used as a model for wider implementation.
The rollout will cover major university locations including Bristol, Cardiff, Cambridge, Leeds, Sheffield, Portsmouth and Hull. It will see Veezu introduce specific guidance and training for its driver-partners aimed at improving their ability to identify and respond to incidents of suspected spiking.
The materials have been developed with input from Stamp Out Spiking and are designed to improve passenger safety by equipping drivers with clear steps to take if they notice signs of spiking or distress in a passenger.
This is the first coordinated anti-spiking effort of its kind in the UK’s private hire sector. Veezu says it intends the rollout to support student safety as the new academic year begins and the night-time economy picks up.
Veezu is also urging licensing authorities to make accredited anti-spiking training mandatory across the private hire sector. The firm wants to see a unified standard introduced to ensure all drivers receive consistent safety training regardless of where they operate.
Nathan Bowles, CEO at Veezu, said: “Spiking is a hidden crime with devastating consequences, and we believe that transport providers have a responsibility to be part of the solution. Through our partnership with Stamp Out Spiking, Veezu is proud to lead the sector with this first-of-its-kind initiative, but lasting change requires action across the sector. That is why we are calling on licensing authorities to make accredited anti-spiking training a national standard. Safety must be non-negotiable, and embedding this training will ensure that every journey – from a student ride home to a family trip across the city – is as safe as it should be.”
Dawn Dines, founder and CEO of Stamp Out Spiking, said: “It’s fantastic to see Veezu taking the lead by collaborating with Stamp Out Spiking on this pioneering initiative. Taxi drivers are key to noticing when someone has been spiked, and their intervention can make all the difference to future safeguarding. By equipping drivers with specialist training, we are embedding vital safeguarding into every journey home.”
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