No response for National Transport policy still - Minister

SURANJITH Perera Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia group corr.

The President who understood the impact of the transport problem on the country's economy formulated a National Transport Policy and entertained views of all political parties. Not a single political party has so far responded, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

He was speaking at the opening of the new City Liner luxury coach service at the Katubedde CTB training school premises yesterday.

ECB Global on the recommendation of the National Transport Commission operates the new service from Moratuwa to Colombo.

The Minister said according to research by the Moratuwa University, 750,000 commuters reach Colombo both by train and bus. Sixty five per cent use 12,000 buses. The balance 35 per cent includes private vehicles, three-wheelers, or motorcycles.

The worst feature is that around 200,000 motor vehicles have invaded a road space of 65 per cent.

The road congestion has posed a serious problem to the economy while the waste of man hours and fuel accounts for Rs. 34 billion, he said.

"We should restore the transport system that existed in the 1960s," the Minister said.