Many people in Bristol seeking asylum have to trek up to Patchway regularly
Around 400 counter-protesters stood in front of a hotel housing asylum seekers in Bristol city centre in August(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
Free bus travel in the West of England region for asylum seekers is unlikely despite a recent plea from a local MP. Asylum seekers living in Bristol hotels are given £9.95 a week while being banned from working and forced to travel to an immigration reporting centre in Patchway.
Last month Carla Denyer, the Green MP for Bristol Central, said asylum seekers should be given free bus passes. In a letter to Helen Godwin, the Labour mayor of the West of England, the MP said half of their weekly allowance was spent on just one day of bus travel.
But due to a lack of cash this is unlikely to go ahead. In a written answer to a public question ahead of the West of England Combined Authority meeting on Friday, October 17, Ms Godwin said she had written to Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, urging her to consider changes.
The mayor said: “Following correspondence from local MPs and councillors, I have written to the home secretary. I highlighted the important, inspiring work of Bristol City of Sanctuary in supporting people in our region who escaped war and persecution.
“We are still awaiting our bus grant allocation for the coming year, which is under real pressure, so I would not anticipate that our region will be able to fund free bus travel for asylum seekers. We continue to work constructively with our local councils on how to invest this funding when it is confirmed.”
She added that her priorities would be maintaining current services and potentially providing discounted or free bus travel for apprentices. In Bristol there are more than 1,100 people seeking asylum, half of which are children, and the majority staying in three hotels. A similar scheme in Oxford is costing £71,000 to provide free bus travel for asylum seekers.
The mayor said the Home Office should consider providing free bus tickets at least for essential appointments; reforming reporting arrangements so more local police stations can be used; and exploring how digital technology could remove the need to visit a police station regularly.
In her letter, Ms Denyer said: “Many asylum seekers are required to report to Patchway Police Station as a condition imposed on them by the Home Office. Failure to comply with this has severe consequences including the loss of asylum support, accommodation and potential rejection of their asylum application.
“Patchway is over five miles from Bristol city centre. This means people seeking asylum either have to walk a 10-mile round trip or spend a significant amount of their weekly allowance, meaning less money for food, clothing and other vital costs.”