The private bus owners’ associations have stressed that immediate measures should be taken to increase the bus fares in correspondence to the continuous increasing of fuel prices.

Commenting regarding the matter, the chief secretary of the All-Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Association, Anjana Priyanjith said: “Earlier, the price of diesel was raised by Rs. 29 per litre, and then the relevant prices were increased again by Rs. 05 yesterday. Therefore, the bus fares must be increased”.

Meanwhile, the President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Gemunu Wijeratne expressed that they will take measures to increase the bus fares within the next two weeks.

“The minimum bus fare will be increased up to at least Rs. 35 at the time. We will increase the fares even by force”, Wijeratne added.

Against this backdrop, the secretary of the All-Ceylon School Children Transport Association Lalith Chandrasiri stated that they have not decided on the increase of fares yet. However, the All Ceylon Inter-Provincial School Children Transport Services Association mentioned that the fares will have to be increased, owing to the fuel price hike and the influence of the increased Value Added Tax (VAT).

However, the All Island Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Association said that the three-wheeler fares will not be increased despite the rise in fuel prices.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO), Lanka IOC, and Sinopec had implemented fuel price revisions with effect from midnight yesterday.

Meanwhile, it is reported that a group of representatives of the private bus associations have met the Secretary of the Ministry of Transport Ranjith Rupasinghe at the Transport Ministry premises this evening (Feb. 01), Ada Deraba reporter said.

During the meeting, the representatives of the bus owners’ associations have stressed that all the bus fares including the minimum bus fare are required to be increased and that the relevant fare revisions should come into effect before February 15.