Bus fares to be increased tomorrow night?

Transport Minister Dilum Amunugama says the decision on increasing the bus fares will be announced after the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers scheduled for tomorrow.

In the wake of the fuel price hike announced by the Lanka IOC and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) earlier this week, the owners of private sector buses called for a fuel subsidy or a revision in bus fares.

Following the discussion held with the bus owners’ associations today, the transport minister told media today that providing a fuel subsidy is practically difficult task at the moment. The associations are also of the same view, he added.

The lawmaker hinted at a bus fare revision coming into effect from tomorrow night.

Commenting on the matter, President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Gemunu Wijeratne meanwhile said the transport minister agreed to increase the bus fares. He said the bus fares are not increased arbitrarily, noting that they are resorting to a bus fare revision subject to a certain regulations and framework of the national policy.