Stagecoach bus firm denies some of its drivers are racist

Operator Stagecoach has denied claims some of its drivers are racist after reports they stopped asylum seekers boarding its buses in North Somerset.

"One driver told me 'we don't pick up refugees'. I was left waiting an hour for the next bus," an asylum seeker, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

The firm acknowledged some "incidents" where ticket confusion led to disputes.

But Stagecoach said it was not evidence of racism, although police recorded a hate incident relating to one dispute.

Stagecoach said the incidents involving ticket confusion had led to one of their female bus drivers being spat at and verbally harassed and it was investigating this further.

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

They wait by the A38 for a Stagecoach West bus.

One man who was left stranded at the bus stop said: "It made me feel bad because we are people.

"Maybe our skin colour is different but we're all the same."

Allegations about asylum seekers being prevented from boarding the bus were initially made in a tweet by Somerset resident Angie Bual, who works with refugees.

"The drivers accept white passengers. This is apartheid in action," she said.

On another occasion, Ms Bual said a driver had sworn at the men waiting and said that he would "not take refugees".

"The bus took white passengers only and left the group of 7 brown and black men in Bristol coach station without transport home."

A 23-year-old asylum seeker, from Eritrea, who wished to remain anonymous said he was one of those affected.

He said he and some other asylum seekers had been asked to provide ID to the drivers to "prove we could be in this country".

When he questioned why he had to do this, he said the driver then asked him to get off the bus.

"He was very aggressive towards me. It made me feel very sad - I am not a bad person.

"I didn't fight him, I just got off.

"I was very angry. It is disgusting.

"I don't feel welcome in this country anymore, I hoped people might have been kinder here.

"After everything I have been through in my own country, I thought my life could be better here.

"I was wrong."

Another refugee, who asked not to be named, said "some drivers are really nice with us.

"But I have seen some buses that were empty, driving past refugees waiting, claiming they were full.

"I've seen some drivers swear at us. Why do they need to use this language?"

Avon and Somerset Police said its officers had been called by a bus driver on 10 September to deal with a payment dispute.

"Officers attended to prevent a breach of the peace, and no offences were reported at the time or identified.

"A third-party report about the incident was received later that day from a member of the public who raised concerns the incident was racially-motivated.

"A PC and temporary chief inspector called her and explained no offences had been identified or reported and permitted entry onto a bus was a civil matter rather than a criminal one.

"This has been logged as a hate incident - where at least one person believes there was a hate element, but where no criminal offences have been found to have occurred.

"There can be no excuse for any form of hate or prejudice in Avon and Somerset and we will always take any such offences extremely seriously."

A spokesperson for Stagecoach West said: "We have a proud and strong commitment to equality and helping people right across our community, and we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.

"We take very seriously any allegations that our values are not being upheld.

"However, to date, we have found no evidence to support these allegations.

"We can also confirm that we are investigating several allegations regarding abuse directed at our employees."

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