Need for sound public transportation to face post-COVID-19 environment realities urged

• Ceylon Chamber submits proposal to govt. on how to manage passenger transport safely 
• It recommends to reduce total number of entrants to key cities during peak hours
• Urges govt. to issue guidelines to all transport providers to avoid overcrowding 
• Proposes introduction of flexi hours/work from home to reduce traffic congestions 

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) proposes the government to implement a sound public transportation plan to function in the realities of a post COVID-19 environment as the government considers exit strategies from the current curfew status.

The CCC recently submitted a proposal to the government on how to manage passenger transport safely, based on a working paper formulated by the Sub Committee on Passenger Transport of the National Agenda Committee (NAC) of Logistics and Transport.

The proposal examines establishing a plan in case of future lockdowns, along with the necessity of people’s movement for a swift and safe restoration of normalcy.

Although, some may view that discouraging public transport would be the most prudent ‘social distancing’ strategy at this time, researchers of the study pointed out that it would not be a sustainable option for majority of the active population.

“This would also be an expensive option that would increase both household as well as corporate costs. At a time when cost cutting is required, such a move would be unsustainable,” the proposal stated. 

Therefore, it recommended that it is prudent to formulate and implement a sound public transportation plan, in particular with the announcement of recommencing of schools and universities across the country. 

“This would require reducing the total number of entrants especially during the peak hours into cities like Colombo in the first few weeks with gradual plans to ramp it up based on the progress achieved while minimising the rate of infection,” the CCC noted. 

Further, the chamber recommended that guidelines for all forms of transport operations be issued prior to commencing transportation with specific attention on overcrowding and the practice of health guidelines with the coordination of the relevant health officials.

The CCC mooted a mechanism to ensure that there are demand reductions in the peak period.Colombo city attracted 1 million people for a day while Kandy attracted nearly 400,000 people while smaller cities range from around 150,000 downwards before COVID 19. 

The researchers highlighted that around 20 percent of this is made during the peak one hour mostly from 7- 8 a.m. with around 30 percent of these population arriving for employment.

Buses and trains carry around 42 percent of all passengers to Colombo and 57 percent in Kandy.
Therefore, the CCC stated that such a mechanism could set guidelines on the number of people working in an establishment, the opening and closing times of office hours (including public services) and the introduction of flexible hours/work from home to reduce traffic congestions at peak hours.

The Chamber highlighted that this is a rare opportunity for the country to transform the public sector transportation system and use digital public transport operation platforms to facilitate its transformation to a modern and world-class service seen in many countries and cities the world over.

The pre COVID-19 economy in Sri Lanka was severely burdened with the high cost of congestion, transport and waste in logistics often exceeding 15-20 percent of household and corporate expenditures.

“This would be an important component to reduce in post- COVID 19, especially when the bulk of that cost is foreign imports including a Rs.300-billion annual fuel bill and an equal amount for importation of vehicles,” the researchers emphasised.  

The CCC also backed the proposal to encourage buses and trains to operate at marginal cost to avoid overcrowding. 

“Given that less passengers per bus or train will result in less revenue for public transport operators at least initially, we propose a special mechanism to enable minimal reimbursement considering the prevailing low global oil prices,” it added. 

While endorsing the action taken by health authorities in suppressing the virus spread, the chamber stressed that the next step is to devise exit strategies and revive the economy averting an economic depression.