No private bus fare hike

Irangika Range

The Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) yesterday announced that it will not go ahead with this year’s proposed bus fare hike scheduled to be implemented from July 1.

However, LPBOA demanded the authorities to implement the Supreme Court order which would help streamline the bus service.

“If authorities fail in implementing the Supreme Court order, the Association will consider a bus fare hike at least by seven percent at the end of this month,” LPBOA President Gemunu Wijerathne told a press briefing in Colombo yesterday.

Although the National Transport Commission has proposed only a 3.9 percent hike in bus fares, the private bus owners had demanded a over seven percent hike considering the increase in leasing interests, fuel price hike, increase in prices of bus tyres, tubes and spare parts.