Free city bus travel offer for refugees

REFUGEES arriving in Dundee from Ukraine will be offered a free bus pass to help them “find their way around town”.

Xplore Dundee has launched a “welcome assistance pass” providing free unlimited travel for up to a month.

The scheme which is co-sponsored by Dundee City Council will initially be rolled out for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian conflict.

The initiative will get under way on Monday and will later be rolled out to other refugees.

Xplore director David Phillips said he hopes it will help people find their way around the City of Discovery and allow them settle in as they make Dundee their new home.

He said: “We’re pleased to be working with colleagues at Dundee City Council to make life that little bit easier for people coming to this country because of conflict at home.

“Moving to a strange city is a big thing for anybody, especially if you’re not doing it through choice.

“Our hope is the welcome assistance pass will help them find their way around town before long.”

The city has a long history of welcoming in refugees who have fled war and persecution including Syrians.

The pass is as well as a scheme providing free DaySaver passes for refugees attending English language courses at Dundee & Angus College.

Council John Alexander said the free bus pass scheme will be of “great assistance” and it will help the city to welcome people from the war-torn country to Dundee and help them learn more about their new home.

He said: “Our humanitarian protection team, working closely with colleagues in Xplore Dundee, are confident this offer will be of great assistance to those resettling in the city.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to make Dundee a warm and welcoming city.

“I hope this offer will help refugees make Dundee their home.”

The city council was quick to assert that it would do everything it could to assist refugees when Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

At the time, Mr Alexander said: “We have a small population of Ukrainians here in the city and we will do all that we can to support the wider Ukrainian diaspora.

“Ukraine did not ask for war. Ukrainians did not ask to become refugees.

“Dundee stands with them and we will do all that we can to support those affected.”