The All Island Private Bus Owners Federation says they will be forced to increase bus fares if a diesel concession is not granted, since the Lanka Indian Oil Company has revised fuel prices.
Speaking to NewsRadio, General Secretary Anjana Priyanjith said the fuel price revision will directly affect the revenues of transport sector employees due to an increase in fuel costs and repair costs.
Priyanjith called for the government to give a concession on fuel prices to the public transport sector.
Also speaking to NewsRadio, President of the Association Gemunu Wijeratne said they never promised the government to keep bus fares unchanged till July.
Wijeratne said the public will have to purchase fuel from IOC sheds since a majority of CEYPETCO sheds have run out of fuel stocks.
He predicted that public transport systems will come to a complete standstill, with the depletion of local diesel resources.
Wijeratne pointed out that the public will be left with a fraction of the local diesel stocks, after the majority is used for power generation.
If a solution is not provided, he commented that the public transport sector will come to a standstill by Monday.
