The All Ceylon Transport Workers Union wrote to President Maithripala Sirisena to order the private buses to be taken under the supervision of the Transport Ministry.

The trade union, in a letter sent to the President, pointed out that the proposal was first put forward by the Private Bus Owners' Association Chairman Gamunu Wijeratne in 2013.

The Rajapaksa government was not able to carry out this measure at the time, the letter pointed out.

The letter added that Wijeratne was now insisting on a combined timetable between the private and SLTB buses, in an attempt to destroy the SLTB, and requested the President to take action against such measures.