The first 120 bus passes have been handed out to asylum seekers in Oxford this week, marking a victory in a refugee transport campaign.

The pilot scheme, rolled out on Monday (November 11), provides eligible asylum seekers in Oxfordshire living on less than £9 a week with a number of bus day-passes, allowing them greater mobility and access to essential services in Oxford’s SmartZone.

The campaign, led by refugees themselves and supported by Asylum Welcome and Citizens UK, aims to help overcome the financial and logistical barriers that asylum seekers face day-to-day.

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Hari Reed, policy and advocacy coordinator at Asylum Welcome, said: “The success of the bus campaign is thanks to the dedicated work of asylum seekers living in hotel accommodation in Oxford, who made a powerful and convincing case for improved conditions for the most vulnerable in our community.”

The first 120 bus passes were handed out in the pilotThe first 120 bus passes were handed out in the pilot (Image: Asylum Welcome) Access to transport will give vulnerable individuals the chance to integrate with the community as well as attend essential appointments, study or volunteer.

Asylum seekers at Monday’s distribution shared how much it meant to them, with one hotel resident saying: “This bus pass allows me to attend my classes and visit my friends in different parts of the city.”

Habib, another user, said: “I like Oxford city, and I want to make my future in Oxford”.

A third asylum seeker, Ghaniyat, said: “I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life. I appreciate it deeply.”

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Others said they would use their passes to get to know the city by going to libraries, museums, college, places of worship and volunteering opportunities.

Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford and Patron of Asylum Welcome, said: “Oxford is known as a generous city and the decision of the Council to pilot free bus tickets for asylum seekers is a further demonstration of that generosity and will help those who have least to be more at home and be a tangible sign of welcome from our whole community.”

Campaigners anticipate that the travel pass will help asylum seekers feel less isolated during what can be a lengthy legal process to get a legal right to settle and work.

The initiative was enabled by support from Oxfordshire County Council and local bus companies.

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Asylum Welcome, an Oxfordshire-based charity which supports refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants, said it is optimistic that the pilot’s success will lead to broader adoption of the transport scheme.

Citizens UK is a broad-based organisation with the aim of building people’s power and leading change for common good. Oxford Citizen’s is a local alliance formed in 2023.

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