A 4% percent price revision has been sanctioned for private buses from midnight today.
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday refused to allow a 10% percent increase in bus fares as requested by private bus owners.
The Ministry could only sanction a 4 percent increase from September 20 midnight as recommended by the committee of intellectuals, he said. He told private bus owner unions at the Ministry auditorium that only a 4 percent increase can be made. Bus owner unions had requested a 10 percent fare increase in lieu of the increase in fuel prices.
There wont be any change in the minimum bus fare of Rs.12.
The Minister said he hoped to obtain Cabinet approval to cover his decision and directed officers of the Transport Commission and his Ministry Secretary to formulate a system for bus fare revision to suit the fluctuation of oil prices in future according to the oil price mechanism.
Transport Ministry Secretary G.S.Vithanage, National Transport Commission Chairman M.A.P. Hemachandra and private bus owner union representatives attended.