Private bus owners urge delay in mandatory seat belt law implementation

Colombo, June 29 (Daily Mirror) - Private bus owners have called on authorities to postpone the implementation of the regulation requiring all bus drivers to wear seat belts, citing practical challenges with older buses that lack the necessary fittings.

The law, which is scheduled to come into effect the day after tomorrow, has raised concerns within the private transport sector. Bus owners argue that retrofitting old buses with seat belts will take time and resources, making immediate compliance difficult.

National Transport Commission (NTC) Chairman, Engineer P.A. Chandrapala, recently announced that the mandatory seat belt rule for bus drivers would be enforced starting July 1.

While acknowledging the importance of enforcing the law for safety, bus operators said the NTC itself lacks the authority to intervene in the implementation process. 

They urged the relevant government authorities to consider a grace period to allow sufficient time for older vehicles to be brought up to standard.