Sainey Touray, a former Gambian MP seeking asylum in Edinburgh, describes free bus fare as essential for asylum seekers, particularly those surviving on minimal weekly stipends.
Touray, who lives on just £9 per week provided by the Home Office, faces the daily reality of being unable to cover essential transportation costs, limiting his access to healthcare, education, and social interactions.
After fleeing The Gambia in 2022 due to political persecution, Touray has been awaiting an asylum decision for nearly two years. Restricted by law from working, he and other asylum seekers rely solely on modest financial assistance from the UK government. In Edinburgh, weekly bus travel costs approximately £22—well beyond the means of someone on his stipend.
Touray’s experience is shared by thousands of asylum seekers across Scotland, many of whom face isolation and limited access to necessary services due to similar transport challenges.
The Scottish Government has explored the idea of free bus travel for asylum seekers, aiming to ease these barriers. In October, Holyrood supported a non-binding motion to introduce the policy by 2026, though actual implementation remains uncertain given the government’s financial constraints.
A Scottish Government spokesperson noted that, despite support for the initiative, budgetary limitations have made it difficult to enact such policies at present.
Without accessible transport, asylum seekers like Touray find it challenging to integrate into their communities, access healthcare, or pursue educational opportunities.
For Touray, even enjoying activities like playing Scrabble at the library becomes a rare occasion due to the high cost of travel.
He advocates for a solution that would restore a sense of freedom and agency for asylum seekers, allowing them to contribute to and engage with their communities more fully.
