Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said yesterday that the private bus fleet has been normalized from yesterday following the resumption of fuel delivery as well as the reopening of schools on all five days of the week.
Accordingly, 90 percent of the private bus fleet was operational yesterday,” he said.
However, Wijeratne said there should be a proper mechanism to supply fuel for private buses at CEYPETCO filling stations in rural areas. Otherwise, schoolchildren will be inconvenienced by the limited number of private buses operating in rural areas.
“We requested the authorities to increase the fuel quota under the QR system provided for private buses as there are no SLTB bus depots in many rural areas. Especially, there are no SLTB depots in Hakmana, Deniyaya, Dikwella, Middeniya, Beliatta, Hambantota, Suriyawewa, and Tissamaharama in the Southern Province and the authorities should take measures to supply adequate fuel for private buses to transport passengers,” Wijeratne said.
He also said the Bus Priority Lane (BPL) rule will come into effect shortly for the convenience of public transport users.
These lanes would be kept for buses from 6.30 am to 9 am and again from 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm. Wijeratne said the BPLs would be implemented in selected areas in Colombo and the suburbs.
Initially, it will commence from Moratuwa to Colombo on the Galle Road. This will result in a reduction of congestion and minimizing of accidents on major roads in the Colombo suburbs. It has been reported that the implementation of priority bus lanes will cut congestion by 35 percent in Colombo city.
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