No imminent bus fare hike

Rajmi MANATUNGA

COLOMBO: Private bus operators yesterday called upon transport authorities to delay the bus fare hike scheduled for next month until fare anomalies on all bus routes are rectified.

Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne told the media that they will request the Transport Ministry to defer this year’s fare increase until the completion of the programme to address fare anomalies on bus routes.

“Presently, fare anomalies have been addressed only in 75 per cent of the routes in the Western province. We are of the view that fare anomalies on the remaining routes should also be rectified before implementing the fare hike,” he said.

Wijeratne said that rectification of the anomalies will result in a fare increase on certain routes and a decrease on most routes. However, National Transport Commission (NTC) Chairman L.A. Wimalaratne said that no proposal to delay the fare revision has been submitted by the bus operators yet.

“We have already rectified the anomalies on the majority of routes in the Western province. Plans are underway to address the irregularities on 59 remaining routes,” he said.

According to the Bus Fare Policy of the NTC, private bus fares could be revised annually in July according to the variations in the price of fuel, spare parts and other costs.