'PARK & RIDE' SYSTEM: REHEARSAL ON WEDNESDAY (30)

COLOMBO (News 1st): The first field rehearsal of the "Park and Ride" system, which is set to be launched on 1st January 2021, will take place on Wednesday (Dec. 30), the National Transport Commission (NTC) said on Monday (Dec. 28). Sri Lanka Police and the Sri Lanka Transport Board will join the rehearsal, Commander Nilan Miranda, the Director-General of the National Transport Commission (NTC) told News 1st on Monday (Dec. 28). According to the NTC, people could access the city of Colombo from the Makumbura Multimodal Center - Kottawa, via two routes under this system. "Under the system, parking facilities will be available at the Makumbura Multimodal Center, Bus Stop in Navinna, National Transport Medical Institute premises in Nugegoda, SLTB Depot in Thalahena, and Bus Terminal in Bastian Mawatha," Commander Nilan Miranda told News 1st. Through the Park and Ride system, authorities are hopeful that people travelling by vehicles and motor-cycles will park their vehicles at the respective parking locations and use bus services to reach Colombo. The bus service will start at 6:00 am every day and till 9:00 am buses will be in operation every 10 minutes during peak hours. During the day, buses will operate once every 30 minutes and towards the rush hours in the evening, again the frequency of the service will increase from 4:00 pm. After 4:00 pm buses will operate every 10 minutes and the last bus is scheduled to reach the Makumbura Multimodal Center at 7:45 am, Commander Nilan Miranda said.