A campaign has launched to provide free bus passes for asylum seekers in South Yorkshire.

Change Lab Sheffield, a social action program within the Sheffield Students Union, has partnered with City of Sanctuary Sheffield, to fight for the cost-free travel on the region’s buses. 

People seeking asylum do not currently have the right to work in the UK and must survive off as little as £8.86 a week.

They are often housed in accommodation that are miles outside of the city centre therefore relying on public transport, which can cost up to £5.40 a day.

Isabella Huxley, 21, Project Leader, said: “This campaign represents that these people are welcome here and is a resistance against the hostile rhetoric towards asylum seekers.”

City of Sanctuary, who support asylum seekers, provides services including, English lessons, legal advice and interpretation services. 

At the campaign launch, a panel of asylum seekers explained that they would have to spend their weekly allowance on necessities, leaving them to walk up to 12 miles to access essential appointments. 

Many of the guest speakers spoke of the endless walking which becomes tiring and painful, and staying isolated in their accommodations leaves them emotionally exhausted. 

One member of the panel explained they could not even access help from a food bank as they could not afford to get there. 

Miss Huxley said: “I think it will make a huge difference in allowing people to integrate into South Yorkshire. People are so isolated.”

This campaign launch follows the recent success in Oxford, when in November the council partnered with the local bus companies to provide a six-month pilot scheme, to provide asylum seekers free bus travel.  

This scheme gives asylum seekers 15 bus passes every two months and it is set to benefit approximately 275 people. 

Ren McMullen, 21, Project Leader, said: “It is not out of the realm of reality for South Yorkshire.” 

This is because the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is currently consulting on taking control of buses through bus franchising. 

The bus coalition would give the SYMCA the power to control the cost of fares. Mx McMullen said: “We are coming at it at the right time.

“This campaign gets them access to travel but then the bigger goal will be giving them access to work in general, because they so desperately want to.”

The campaign was launched at 1pm today (December 13) at the Quaker Meeting House and an ongoing petition has received 474 signatures.