A SHUTTLE bus into York will be provided for asylum seekers staying at the former RAF Linton on Ouse base, the Home Office has revealed.

The bus service will ensure they can travel out of the village after having been given a thorough induction, including information on the local area, a spokesperson told The Press.

They said the asylum seekers would not have any curfews, would not be restricted in their movements and would be able to leave the accommodation - although they would be expected to be there overnight.

The spokesperson said the reception centre at Linton-on-Ouse would be used exclusively for destitute single adult male asylum seekers who had their asylum applications under review with the Home Office.

They would all have undergone a 'robust' screening process and information collected as part of this was cross checked across several systems, to verify their identity, which allowed for additional background checks to be completed.

They said the reception area, which will accommodate up to 1,500 asylum seekers, was being designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, minimising any impact on local communities, services, and the need to leave the site.

"This includes providing full-board accommodation, and on-site recreation, exercise, a shop, faith and worship and medical facilities will be available," they said.

"Asylum seekers live in communities across the UK and, by and large, enjoy good relationships with their communities.

"Our plans for Linton-on-Ouse involve providing activities for asylum seekers on site and we will engage closely with North Yorkshire Police to address any issues that might arise."

The spokesperson said the new reception centre would help end the Government's reliance on hotels which were costing the taxpayer almost £5million a day.

“The Home Office is listening carefully to feedback and is committed to widening engagement with key local stakeholders to ensure we minimise impact on the community and services, and the site is being designed to be as self-sufficient as possible," they said.

“Our New Plan for Immigration will fix the UK’s broken asylum system, allowing us to support those in genuine need while preventing abuse of the system and deterring illegal entry to the UK.”

Sixty asylum seekers are set to move into the former air base by the end of May, and the spokesperson said there would be a 'phased approach' to developing it, with a gradual increase in the number of asylum seekers accommodated there over the coming weeks.

"As part of mobilising the site and service at Linton-on-Ouse we are engaged with North Yorkshire Police,"they said.

"Through this engagement, the Home Office, with our provider Serco, will be developing detailed processes and procedures covering a range of scenarios. If the Home Office or Serco are made aware of any protests or local demonstrations, the relevant agencies will be alerted. Any criminal activity would be a matter for the police."

*The Press has asked whether the shuttle bus into York would also be available for residents of Linton on Ouse to use but has not yet been given an answer.