Cabinet paper to be presented on increasing bus fares

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The cabinet paper on the increase in bus fares will be presented to the cabinet of ministers, today (May 15). Speaking to News 1st, Deputy Minister of Transport Ashoka Abeysinghe said the cabinet paper is being presented after requests from private bus owners' associations were considered. Thereby, the cabinet paper will be presented by Minister of Transport Nimal Siripala de Silva. The Deputy Minister previously stated the government has drawn its attention towards the impact on the private bus owners through the recent fuel price hike. He added that a decision has not been reached on increasing prices of Sri Lanka Transport Board and train tickets. A discussion chaired by the chairman of the Sri Lankan Transport Commission was held yesterday (May 14), on the amendment of bus fares. However, representatives of private bus owners associations stated the discussions were inconclusive. Earlier private bus associations gave the Government a May 15th deadline to revise bus fares and stated that they would launch a strike if the Government fails to do so.