Stagecoach launches ‘urgent investigation’ over racism allegations

Stagecoach has launched an “urgent investigation” into claims drivers are not stopping to pick up asylum seekers waiting for a bus into Bristol.

The allegations that the young men, who have been housed in a Holiday Inn near Bristol Airport, have faced racial discrimination, and were prevented from getting on coaches were reported by Mendips resident Angie Bual on Sunday.

Responding on Monday, Stagecoach said there was no evidence to support these allegations.

However, the boss of the transport firm has now confirmed an investigation has been launched in the wake of “detailed new complaints” regarding the alleged behaviour of some of its employees.

Mike Watson, the managing director of Stagecoach South West, has said the company will take any necessary disciplinary action where its values and people’s right to equal access to our services have not been upheld.

The asylum seekers, who are from Sudan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Somalia, take public transport from the hotel to Bristol for medical or legal appointments and to attend college classes.

Bual, who is the creative director of charity Trigger, has launched a fundraising campaign to support the asylum seekers who have been displaced from their homes and then housed 14 miles out of Bristol. The charity director says the situation is becoming “increasingly precarious” for the young men, who are “cut off from shops, people, and asylum seeker services”.

Avon and Somerset Police said on Monday that they had been alerted to one incident that was logged as a hate incident.

Announcing the launch of an investigation into the allegations against bus drivers, Watson said: “We have a strong commitment as a company to championing diversity, inclusion and equality and helping people right across our community.

“We are also proud to be working closely with local authorities in many parts of the country to support refugees in the UK with their bus travel to help them be an active part of their local communities. This includes discussions with North Somerset Council on how we can work together to make travel easier for refugees living locally.

“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.

“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.”

He added that Stagecoach is working with the liaison officer responsible for the hotel at Cowslip Green and has put in place additional monitoring of boarding and ticketing on services calling at the bus stop.

Read next:

• Accusation bus drivers have ‘stopped picking up’ asylum seekers
• ‘Increasingly precarious’ situation for ‘cut off’ asylum seekers
• The ‘sisterhood’ providing a safe space for refugee women in Bristol 

Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast on Apple Music and Spotify: