There is much talk these days on travel within the country, congestion on roads and pollution. The National Transport Commission has been having many meetings on how to solve the problem of congestion on roads within Colombo and the greater Colombo area. Studies show the most congested roads as Galle Road, Jayewardenepura Road and Kandy Road to and from Colombo. Suggestions have been made to have flexible work hours. Flexed work hours will not reduce the number of vehicles but reduce congestion and perhaps pollution.

In this country, large vehicles such as buses and container trailers are on roads making the overtaking of these slower moving vehicles which do not keep to a specific lane, difficult and dangerous as they are long and drivers have a habit of suddenly swinging right to avoid an obstruction ahead instead of slowing to enable a overtaking vehicle to continue overtaking. Drivers of buses ignore bus bays for drop and pickup as they are of poor design.

During the extended New Year holidays, which went on this year from Apr 12 till Apr 20, the volume of vehicles on the roads was extremely low as there were less buses and container carriers. I got 25% more kilometers per liter of fuel than other days and travel time was reduced by 50%. Less sudden stops behind buses and containers, less people, bicycles, motor cycles, three wheelers even animals on the road. Calculate the saving of 25% fuel to self and country and reduction of pollution. Driving in this country is stress and strain, and a few near misses are experienced each day. Senior public officials do not feel this as they are chauffeured to work. Driver discipline is very low as none follow the rules or lane. Lane marking, No Parking, Correct lane for turning either way, is just another of the many statements. Obstructing an oncoming vehicle to force your way if in a bigger vehicle, is the name of the game.

It will be impossible to reduce the number of buses, containers on the roads. In fact the number of buses must be increased. Cars, Motor Cycles can be definitely reduced if the people in them are encouraged to use Public Transport such as the Train and Bus. In developed countries the use of cars to commute to work is discouraged by charging tolls, parking fees, congestion fees etc. We have no toll or congestion fee but a very low parking fee or free parking 90% of the time for any length of time, on public roads. Judgments are delivered to enable parking on roads which are meant for the use of moving vehicles. In some countries, if public transport is used by employees to travel to and from work, the cost of travel is reimbursed. In Japan, the Chairman, CEO and other top managers use the train to commute to and from home to work. The private car is parked at the station close to home, the official limousine picks the person from the closest station to the work place. On most freeways in the USA, if two or more persons travel in a vehicle, a separate lane is provided which is sometimes faster than the 6 other lanes moving in the same direction