Private bus operators place their woes before President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday paid attention to the problems encountered by private bus owners in maintaining an efficient bus service and the solutions which could be found to them at a meeting with private bus operators at Temple Trees.

Several proposals came up at the meeting regarding the operation of the private bus service as an industry and improving its quality and attention was drawn towards providing some relief by taking them into consideration, a communique issued by the President's Media Division said.

As private bus operators pointed out the feasibility of implementing a private - SLTB integrated bus service countrywide, it was decided to implement this proposal on a countrywide basis, the communique said.

The President also directed officials to look into the possibility of implementing a small and medium scale credit scheme as a measure of relief to bus owners engaged in the industry for 10 years.

Attention was also drawn towards the possibility of removing fines imposed on bus owners defaulting payment of premia on leasing and exempting them from taxes on sale of buses as well as providing tyres, tubes and brake liners on a concessionary basis. President Rajapaksa said the private bus service was rendering a satisfactory service to the people and attention should be drawn towards improving its quality, including enhancement of facilities available in buses.

Bus owners said the road network had been vastly improved under the tenure of the present government and this had bought side benefits to them like minimising the breakdown of their buses.

Attention was also drawn towards the losses caused to route permit holders due to the operation of buses without permits on certain routes.

The release said action would be taken regarding bus fares in future by taking views and ideas expressed by all parties concerned.

Ministers C.B. Ratnayake and Mervyn Silva, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara also attended the meeting.