Private bus owners in the Western Province are preparing to launch a strike in protest against the actions of the Western Road Passenger Transport Authority.
The Chairman of the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association, Gemunu Wijeratne, said the strike is being planned in response to what he described as “atrocities” imposed by WRPTA officials on private bus operators and employees.
Speaking after a meeting with bus owners, Mr. Wijeratne said, “Although issues with the police have been resolved, officials—including the Chairman of WRPTA—have failed to address ongoing problems. Today, private buses have no proper parking, and bus employees lack basic sanitary facilities. The actions of WRPTA are causing significant hardship to both bus owners and staff.”
He added that the association plans to discuss the matter with the Governor of the Western Province next week. “If a solution is not found, we will boycott private bus operations in the Western Province starting next week,” Mr. Wijeratne warned.
