Refugees and people seeking asylum face multiple barriers in accessing public transport.
Our research explores people's experiences of public transport in Northern Ireland, providing an evidence base to help policy makers and transport providers improve public transport in Northern Ireland for people from refugee backgrounds.
The research explores:
- Modes of transport and reasons for use
- Costs of travel and implications
- Experiences on transport and with transport staff
- Free transport and mental health
Key findings - the impact of transport costs
The headline findings from our research emphasise the significant impact of transport costs on refugees and people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland.
The findings reveal that cost is the most pressing transportation issue, with 97.62% of survey respondents reporting at least one instance where they could not afford transport
due to cost.
This problem is particularly severe for people seeking asylum who live on asylum support
payments of £49.18 per week and are largely unable to work, unlike those with refugee status who have access to public funds.
An all-day public transport ticket in Belfast costs £4.60, which is almost two-thirds of the £7.03 asylum seekers must live on per day.
If I spend my money on the public transport ticket, I don't have enough for food.
Loneliness and social isolation
The research shows that refugees and people seeking asylum rely heavily on public
transport for essential activities. These include attending medical and legal appointments, shopping for food and toiletries, and participating in social activities.
Attending medical and legal appointments and shopping for essentials are necessities for
health and dignity. However, participating in social activities, which is key to integration and building social relationships, is often deprioritised due to the prohibitive transport cost.
This trade-off is concerning, as loneliness is a known risk factor for poor mental health.
Wellbeing and human rights
From a wellbeing and human rights perspective, introducing free or subsidised public transport for people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland would have a transformative impact.
Such a policy would enable individuals to participate more fully in social activities, reduce feelings of isolation, and ease anxiety for individuals and families.
With affordable transport, I could take my children out, meet friends, and feel like I'm part of a community.