Web of Life

Consequent to the recent massive increases in fuel prices, which keep fluctuating internationally, almost on a daily basis, an urgent and priority need exists for stringent economy in fuel consumption.

One of the means that can be adopted to economise on fuel consumption is for the State to initiate and encourage the use of alternative means of transport for the following categories of persons:

1. Public servants who use privately owned cars/vans to travel to work and return.

2. Mercantile Sector employees who utilise private transport to travel to work and return.

3. School teachers who travel to respective schools and return in private vehicles

4. School children, many thousands of whom use privately owned vans and cars, for travel to school and return.

5. Housewives who at present use private vehicles for marketing, shopping, etc.

There are large numbers of privately owned coaches and luxury buses, which are uneconomically utilised.

If the Ministry of Transport could encourage the owners of these vehicles to run their coaches/luxury buses at rates which will be attractive and profitable to the owners of these vehicles, and attractive to the class of people mentioned above, who travel to places of work or schools in the comfort of private vehicles, a tremendous saving in fuel consumption will undoubtedly result.

Implementation of a scheme of this nature, commencing in Colombo and other towns and cities, with immediate effect, will result in the following advantages to the country:

1. Savings on fuel consequent to a reduction of the number of vehicles on the roads.

2. Reduced numbers of vehicles on the roads will result in far less congestion

3. A large number of man hours will be saved

4. Reduced number of vehicles on the roads will result in a reduction in accidents.

5. Reduced number of vehicles on the roads will result in far less environmental pollution.

6. The tasks of the Traffic Police will consequently be much easier and more effective.

8. Overall, there is bound to be an improvement in traffic and road discipline.

The Ministry of Transport will have to issue permits for these coaches/luxury buses to operate at agreed times, on agreed routes, at agreed rates which will have to be attractive to the vehicle owners. If the concerned parties agree to this in principle, it is strongly suggested that, as far as possible, these vehicles operate on a ‘circle route’ basis.

In so far as private car and van owners are concerned, utilising this means of transport in lieu of their private vehicles, will be most attractive, because of economies in fuel, time and vehicle wear and tare, provided punctuality, availability of sufficient vehicles and no overcrowding is ensured.