The shuttle bus used by asylum seekers travelling between Emmen and the Ter Apel refugee reception centre is still running free of charge, despite objections from caretaker asylum minister Mona Keijzer, local media have reported.

The minister said earlier this week that asylum seekers should pay for their tickets and warned that councils would have to cover the costs themselves if free travel continues.

The councils introduced free travel in an attempt to curb problems on the bus. Asylum seekers who use the service frequently sometimes refused to pay the €4.52 fare and there had been several incidents of drivers and passengers being intimidated by them.

A spokesperson for Westerwolde council told broadcaster NOS that reinstating payment at the bus door is not an option.

The council said it is willing to discuss other forms of funding, such as deductions from asylum seekers’ living allowances, and has invited the minister to talks on both financing and tackling disruption on the route.

Keijzer has also said she would also take steps to redistribute refugees in Ter Apel to other parts of the country to ease the pressure on the region and allocate extra resources to the immigration police in an effort to end the problems.