SC ruling will obviate private bus strikes

Irangika RANGE

There will be no private bus strikes in the future since the recent Supreme Court order for a combined SLTB-private bus timetable would help streamline the bus service, Sri Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said.

Addressing a press briefing in Colombo yesterday, he said the countrywide bus service was facing a huge crisis due to the absence of a combined timetable for SLTB and private buses.

"We are thankful to the Supreme Court for resolving this issue which had affected the bus service for a long time," he said. The Supreme Court order is a victory for commuters. With the implementation of the gazette order, the number of irregularities will be automatically removed," the Chairman said.

The Moratuwa University assisted in implementing the combined timetable which will be deployed on route No. 120 (Colombo-Kesbewa) initially. This will regulate the bus service and reduce unnecessary trips.

The combined timetable will include the bus halt and stand for commuters' benefit. A bus should complete its turn during a certain time in terms of the combined timetable. Night turns have been made compulsory under this programme. A bus operator violating this rule is liable for prosecution, he said.

Wijeratne said there was a 30 per cent excess of private buses in the Western Province. He said this was disclosed by a Moratuwa University survey. CTB and private buses will be deployed to cater to the demand. Buses will ply from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m. under the combined timetable. Excess buses are expected to be redeployed on rural routes, he added.

The Supreme Court has ordered Chief Secretaries of the Provincial Councils not to issue new route permits to private buses until the preparation of the combined timetables.

He said accidents occur due to unnecessary competition between private buses and SLCTB buses. With the implementation of this Court order, such incidents could be avoided, Wijeratne said.

"A number of fare anomalies are expected to be removed with the Supreme Court order. The Supreme Court has ordered private bus operators in the Western Province to equip their conductors with ticketing machines and the bus crew to wear uniforms by January 1 next year. Licences will be cancelled if any bus operator does not follow this rule."

Wijeratne said the People's Bank will provide credit facilities to private bus operators to purchase ticketing machines. Bus operators licences will be revoked if these loans are not repaid. The Association will take maximum effort to provide uniforms free of charge to bus operators by negotiating with many organisations.

"Three to four ticket rolls are needed for daily use. It is very expensive and we have decided to invite quotations from private companies to print bus tickets. This will benefit these companies since around 51,000 of commuters travel daily by private buses in the Western Province."

"We have decided to remove all stickers and advertisements in buses except stickers related to the media and defence. If any company wants to display its advertisements, it has to make a payment to the bus operator," Wijeratne said.