2016 Jul 18
by Vandana Hiranand
Needless to say, contemplating how to travel is a common problem we face daily in Sri Lanka. The moment we need to get somewhere, transport is the first thing on our minds, and we may possibly spend a significant amount of time deciding on how to travel.
‘How do we get there?’
‘Do you have transport?’
‘I don’t have a ride, how are you going?’
The question is: why does this persistent problem exist?
As Sri Lankans, we spend a lot of time on the road. The intense traffic we encounter slows the pace of all vehicles, whether public or private. According to estimated statistics, a whopping 87.1% of vehicles on our roads fall under private transport, including cars, motorbikes and trishaws. In comparison, a mere 5.7% of vehicles belong to the public transport, encompassing mainly buses.
And thus, the mystery of our extreme traffic daily traffic is solved! The number of private vehicles on our roads greatly exceeds the minimum number necessary for a smooth flow of traffic. We travel on roads blocked by hundreds of cars, trishaws, and motorbikes, with each vehicle switching lanes, creeping through small spaces and definitely taking a lot more space on each road than public transport would cover.
To rival these statistics, it has been found that 51.9% percent of the population uses public transport, while 44.1% make use of private transport. This shows us that more than half our population use public transport, even with the availability of a mere 5.7% of buses on the road. Every individual who has ever traveled in our public buses, especially at the peak times during rush hour, has experienced this overcrowding. Basically, half of our population is being crammed into roughly 30,000 buses daily.
Our public transport system could easily be termed as the least appealing aspect of our country. It is with dread that an individual steps into a bus during rush hour. Being both unsafe and unhygienic, we experience sexual harassment, intense overcrowding and even physical distress in public transport. Women and men both undergo unwanted harassment, and even those with physical difficulties may not always get a seat, resulting in medical difficulties and breathing problems. In order to increase the inflow of cash, buses stuff passengers in every possible inch Due to the lack of buses and traffic which increases the time taken to travel, passengers have no choice but to travel in these buses despite the extreme discomfort they experience.
In recent years, the use of trishaws has rapidly increased, with the introduction of meters to regulate the price paid for a journey. This is in addition to the many businesses which now provide easy access to trishaws as well. However, traveling in a trishaw several times per day is not sustainable for long term use. And yet, 25.5% of the population opts for trishaw travel daily, spending thousands of rupees for safer, comfortable travel. Similarly, people prefer to travel in their own cars for a comfortable journey. When distributed accordingly, each private vehicle holds no more than 2 people! In order to travel with ease, the flow of traffic is being compromised and we all, from buses to cars and trishaws, end up spending extreme amounts of time simply on the road.
As Sri Lankans, our lives consist of living in suburban areas which are interlaced very closely with cities. As such, the use of privatized vehicles for traveling through specific routes is justified, since our bus routes may be limited. Yet, the use of private transport is at an all time high. The reason for this problem directly stems from the inefficient public transport service within the country. Even for those who opt for private travel, the increase of vehicles on the road has a direct effect on the duration of time it takes to get from Point A to Point B.
In short, the public transport inefficiency is adversely affecting each individual of the general public. If a more effective and comfortable system was to be introduced, more people would opt for use of public transport, thus decreasing the number of vehicles on the road and easing up the traffic.
As of yet, the government has proposed solutions such as providing salaries for certain buses based on the number of cycles conducted through the day, rather than passenger intake. However, for privatized buses this offers no solution. Rather, the yearly increase of bus fares further deteriorates the situation. On the other hand, the proposed metro train system would provide a more sustainable solution to our transport problems, depending on whether and when it is put into action.
With the establishment of a relaxed means of traveling, the problems with transport will largely decrease. Searching for the best way to reach one’s destination should be easy – not something which needs to be discussed intently each day. A cost-effective, comfortable way of traveling is desperately needed in the country, and it is about time we see a change.
