CTB Bus Fare Hike From 1st August 2016

Deputy Minister of Transport Asoka Abeysinghe said bus fares will increase by 6 per cent and accordingly the minimum bus fare will increase from 8 rupees to 9 rupees. Sri Lanka Transport Board has decided to increase bus fares from the 1st  August 2016  following the increase of bus fares of private buses.

The Deputy Minister said bus fares increased by 20 %  in 2012 during the previous tenure of the United People’s Freedom Alliance led government.

Further he  said bus fares increased by 8 per cent in 2013, however was reduced when the Unity government was elected into power.

He said bus fares have to be increased due to high expenditure.

In the meantime , the Deputy Minister said the government has no plans of privatizing the SLTB.

He said the government has no need to privatize the SLTB as there are around 20,700 private buses currently operating in the island and  jobs of around 36,700 SLTB employees are secure, and the government will not opt to privatize the SLTB.