Jan 23, Colombo: Private bus operators in Sri Lanka fear that the private bus service in the country is facing collapse.

Head of the Private Bus Owners' Association (PBOA), Gemunu Wijerathna has said that concessions are offered to the private bus services in many countries.

Private bus operators had to increase tariffs due to the lack of concessions offered to the private bus service in Sri Lanka, Wijerathna noted.

He has explained that private bus fares had to be increased by 20% due to the increase in fuel prices and the government's failure to provide a fuel concession to the private bus sector.

The PBOA head has pointed out that the government needed to have a mechanism in place to decide on fuel concessions for private bus operators when fuel prices are increased.

According to Wijerathna, the private bus fares were likely to be increased next month.