Calls for free bus tickets for asylum seekers

Asylum seekers are given under £10 a week to live off and a daily bus pass costs £6.50

The West of England mayor has urged the Home Secretary to consider providing bus tickets instead of the government paying for taxis.

It comes after Bristol Central MP Carla Denyer wrote a letter asking Helen Godwin to fund free bus travel for asylum seekers.

Godwin said she does "not anticipate" that she will fund asylum seekers' travel out of her budget. But she added Home Office-issued tickets would offer "a cheaper and greener way for people to attend essential appointments."

Asylum seekers living in hotels are given £9.95 per week. Those living in Bristol have to travel to Patchway for mandatory meetings with the Home Office. A single bus ticket costs £2.50, or £6.50 for a daily pass.

Bristol City of Sanctuary has been campaigning for asylum seekers to receive free bus travel. The charity is relying on donations to offer bus tickets that are often used for mandatory Home Office meetings, or to take young children to a creche.

Oxfordshire County Council is already piloting the scheme, helping asylum seekers to attend medical appointments and build confidence getting around the city by giving them free travel.

A Bus Grant given by the government to the West of England Combined Authority has this year been spent on supporting bus services, as well as the summer holidays Kids Go Free initiative.

Godwin said that her priorities for the coming year are "to maintain current services and, I hope, free bus travel for apprentices".

However, in a letter addressed to the Home Secretary, Godwin urged Shabana Mahmood to consider providing bus tickets, through groups like City of Sanctuary, instead of using taxis to get people to essential appointments.

The mayor also expressed concerns about the distance asylum seekers in central Bristol have to travel to attend the immigration reporting centre in Patchway - around an hour each way by bus.

"This is an inefficient use of everyone's time and money," Godwin said, urging the Home Secretary to consider reporting centre reform, using existing central police stations or digital technology to improve the situation.

Bristol City of Sanctuary runs a Transport Fund, where people can donate to buy bus tickets for asylum seekers.

The charity says the money helps people to access legal and medical appointments, visit drop-in centres for meals or to reach places where they are volunteering.

The Home Office has been approached for comment.