A bus company has launched an investigation after refugees accused drivers of discrimination in refusing to collect them from rural stops, The Independent can reveal.
A number of asylum seekers were recently placed by the Home Office at a rural, remote hotel in Somerset and rely upon already-limited Stagecoach buses to travel to college classes, medical appointments and legal appointments.
However, some refugees and local residents have claimed that the new arrivals, mostly men, are regularly left at the side of the road by some drivers refusing to pick them up because of their status.
Speaking to The Independent, three refugees, all of Black and Middle Eastern heritage, claim to have either experienced or seen Stagecoach drivers discriminating against asylum seekers on different occasions.
Stagecoach has confirmed that an “urgent” investigation has been launched into the matter.
“We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind or unacceptable behaviour, whether that involves an employee or any customer seeking to use our services. In the past 24 hours, we have been made aware of new detailed complaints regarding the alleged behaviour of some employees operating Falcon services serving Cowslip Green near Bristol,” Mike Watson, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, said.
“We can confirm we have launched an urgent investigation into the specific circumstances involved. We will not hesitate to take any necessary disciplinary action where our values and people’s right to equal access to our services have not been upheld.
“In the meantime, we have been in close contact with the liaison officer responsible for the hotel at Cowslip Green and put in place additional monitoring of boarding and ticketing on services calling at the bus stop. Since these measures have been put in place, we have not been made aware of any problems, however we will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
It has been alleged that drivers have passed stops where refugees are waiting.
Wale*, a 23-year-old refugee from Eritrea, told The Independent he tried to board the bus with a valid ticket last Tuesday and was asked by the driver to show identification.
When he asked why, he claims the driver said some people are in the country illegally.
Arts director Angie Bual, who lives nearby and has been supporting the asylum seekers, said she was “outraged” by reports that the bus did not always stop for them, branding it “apartheid in action”.
Expressing her concern on Twitter, Ms Bual - who began organising car shares for the men in response to the situation - said she’s disappointed by the police response.
Ms Bual said one resident had spoken to a driver last week who said they’re not stopping near the hotel to pick up refugees “any more” following a vote among drivers.
Hamza*, a 21-year-old refugee from Iran, told The Independent: “Some of us are asked to show ID to verify their age because the ticket price is cheaper when you’re under 25 years old. However, some refugees don’t have ID and in those cases, what are they supposed to?
“I ran from my country to escape conflict and am not looking for a headache in this one. I’d like drivers to change their manner and be kind.”
Other refugees told The Independent that two drivers are especially hostile to asylum seekers.
Max*, 24, also a refugee from Iran who arrived in the UK last December, told The Independent that he was told to “f*ck off” the bus by one driver, who claimed not to understand his command of the English language, despite having a valid ticket.
The refugees receive £8.25 per week from the Home Office to survive on and The Independent has heard from refugees that some destitute asylum seekers had, on occasion, been dishonest about their ages in order to pay a lower bus tariff.
However, some refugees who claim to have had valid tickets have said they’re being stigmatised by drivers and refused entry onto buses for no good reason.
It has been claimed some refugees were involved in altercations with Stagecoach drivers over perceived hostile treatment.
An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson confirmed officers had attended a bus stop in the area and had told a man to disembark the bus on September 10.
The police added that drivers have the right to refuse admission to anyone, and that it would be a civil matter for the person being refused to take up with the bus company.
Superintendent Dickon Turner said in a statement on Tuesday: “There can be no excuse for any form of hate or prejudice in Avon and Somerset and we will always take any such offences extremely seriously.
"We were called by a bus driver on 10 September to a payment dispute between them and a number of people trying to board the bus in North Somerset. We were told the individuals were trying to pay in cash and the driver said he was unable to accept the payment. Officers attended to prevent a breach of the peace and no offences were reported at the time or identified.
"A third-party report about the incident was received later that day from a member of the public who raised concerns the incident was racially-motivated, stating the people involved were asylum seekers staying at a nearby hotel.”
In accordance with recording protocols, this has been logged as a hate incident albeit only on Monday, following Ms Bual’s Twitter thread, and not at the time of incident as per protocol.
*Some names have been changed to protect refugees’ identities
