During the one month period after the reduction of fuel prices, the number of vehicles on the roads using petrol has increased considerably.

The use of petrol has gone up by 7.6 per cent, he said.

However, the use of diesel rose by only 0.66 pc, he said, adding that the importation of all vehicles should be restricted if the bus industry was to survive.

Mr. Wijeratne was speaking to Sri Lanka Mirror when contacted over his comment to the media yesterday (15) that strong action would be taken if the haphazard way of plying of the 2,200 buses imported for the CTB during the previous regime was not halted.

Since no joint time table is in effect, buses are plying on a rounded time table, but the 2,200 new CTB buses were plying at will, he added.