Bishop Anderson joins London Citizens campaign for free bus travel for asylum seekers
Citizens UK chapters across the country do amazing work in community organising, bringing people together to engage across issues that affect them the most – be they advocating for asylum rights, championing the Living Wage or encouraging voter registration.
Many churches across the Diocese, along with other faiths, community groups, and institutions join their local “Citizens chapter.”
The chapter members work together to listen and act on what is most affecting their communities.
One of London Citizens’ current campaigns involves campaigning for free bus travel for asylum seekers.
With asylum seekers in hotels living on less than £1.30/day, and a single bus journey costing £1.75, the London chapter of Citizens UK say that the maths does simply not add up, which is having a detrimental effect on the lives of asylum seekers in our city:
Mothers and young children have had to walk long distances to go to primary school, as even though children have access to free bus travel, their parents do not. Asylum seekers desperate to learn English have missed classes because of the cost of travel. People who are unwell have had to walk long distances to access healthcare because of the cost of travel.
Click here to watch a short video on the Citizens UK website for more information.
On Friday 25th April, Bishop Anderson was one of many people, including faith leaders, rallying outside London City Hall with Citizens UK, as part of the next step in this free bus travel campaign.
The group was also joined by three London Assembly Members, Andrew Boff, Elly Baker and Caroline Russell who all supported the cause.
The slogan for the campaign, repeated again and again during the assembly was “Is there room on the bus? for ALL of us!”
Along with community leaders, groups supporting asylum seekers and those themselves in the asylum system, Bishop Anderson spoke about the importance of human dignity.
The Diocese of London continues to offer our support for the rights and privileges to those who are categorised as refugees asylum seekers and migrants.
They are people. They are like one of us. They are equally valued members of our society. They carry the same image as us. They have the same blood and the same flesh.
People are people and they require our dignity, not by the labels and categories we put them into; by putting them into categories we dehumanise them.
+Anderson Jeremiah, Bishop of Edmonton
Next Steps for the Campaign
When the London Mayor was elected in 2024, he pledged to work with London Citizens and with TFL to explore making this a reality.
The campaign has already won the backing of the London Assembly, who last year passed a motion calling on Sir Sadiq Khan to provide asylum seekers with free bus travel for essential journeys.
So far this has meant that asylum seekers who are over 60, and those who are under 18, are given access to free bus travel (in the same way as others living in London do). On Friday, the London Citizens Gathering celebrated the promise from TFL to offer “better support” to those who need to apply for these discounts they are entitled to.
But Citizens want to encourage the London Mayor and Greater London Assembly to extend this right to all asylum seekers. The next step on the campaign is securing another meeting with Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, along with TFL.
By 2026, Scotland will reintroduce free bus travel for those seeking asylum; Citizens UK have already won a campaign in Oxford last year to secure free bus travel for asylum seekers.
London Citizens is hoping our city will be next.
Churches and others campaigning in this way is just another practical way of showing love to our neighbours who are seeking asylum in our city, so that they can live and settle and care for their children.
As Bishop Anderson reminded us:
“When we show our love for our neighbour, we show God’s love in our midst.”
When you next see a bus drive by, think about who’s on it – and who isn’t.
Our churches, and the people within our communities, use their voices and their buildings for a huge amount of good. Will you get on board?
Bishop Anderson's address
Want to know more about Citizens?
If you’re interested in finding out more about Citizens, get in touch with the Compassionate Communities Team who an put your in touch with your local chapter, or go to Citizens UK website to find out more.