Sri Lanka's Western Province Passenger Transport Authority declines request to increase bus fares

Sri Lanka's Western Province Passenger Transport Authority today said the private bus operators would not be allowed to increase the minimum bus fare.

Private bus operators forwarded a request to the Authority demanding an increase in the minimum bus fare of Rs. 6.

Head of the Western Province Passenger Transport Authority, Piyasena Dissanayake has told the media that despite the demand by the bus operators, the Authority has decided against the increase of bus fares.

Dissanayake has said the demand to increase the minimum bus fare was unreasonable and there was no need to do so.

However, the private bus operators have threatened to launch a strike in the Western Province if the Authority does not permit a Rs. 1 increase of bus fares by January 11.