Who is affected?

People seeking asylum in Bristol receive an allowance of only £ 6.43 a day. A day pass for the bus (which is what they would require if they had more than one appointment) is £6 a day, which would take up all of the daily allowance.

People seeking asylum are not able to choose where they live, which means that they could be very distant from their community and the services they need.

What is at stake?

First Bus and City of Sanctuary have been providing 246 tickets a month, worth £2000, to organisations working with people seeking asylum/sanctuary.

Although some organisations receive tickets through City of Sanctuary, other organisations invest time and energy into fundraising for bus tickets. This time could be spent on other essential services.

Without access to bus tickets this community will struggle to access essential services such as:

• GP and hospital appointments
• Legal advice
• Counselling appointments
• Accessing food banks
• English classes (ESOL)
• Social activities and drop ins run by Bristol Refugee and Asylum Seeker Partnership (BRASP) an innovative partnership of 15 organisations supporting refugees and asylum seekers
• Volunteering with BRASP organisations

“I am an asylum-seeker, the tickets are very expensive, and I cannot buy them. By getting these free tickets means I can volunteer at the drop-in centre which helps me to manage my stress and anxiety”.

Why is now the time to act?

First Bus is still willing to price match City of Sanctuary for this initiative, however, the funding from City of Sanctuary is going to end at the end of April 2023.

First Bus is "Very happy to continue to support this very important cause"

The Bristol Refugee and Asylum Seeker Partnership is expecting to meet with the WECA (West of England Combined Authority) Metro Mayor to ask for free bus travel for this community. WECA Metro Mayor is responsible for making transport more reliable, affordable, enjoyable, and safe across the region. 

We are asking you to show your support for our campaign with the Metro Mayor by signing our petition and donating whatever you can to fund bus tickets while the Metro Mayor is being persuaded by our campaign.