The proposed Regulatory Authority for Three Wheelers will be established by January 2017 as stipulated in the budget proposals to introduce regulatory mechanism for three wheelers, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake told the Sunday Observer.
¨According to the budget proposal we will implement the regulatory authority under the purview of the Ministry of Transport early next year,¨ he said.
The Minister in his budget speech identified the vacuum of a regulatory mechanism for three wheelers as well as school vans. All Three Wheelers and School Vans will be required to register with the authority once established. Periodical training and competency tests will also be conducted for those in the industry the Minister said.
According to the Chairman of the All Island Three Wheel Owners Association (AITWOA), Sudhil Jayaruk, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake while attending a meeting between all stakeholders yesterday, pledged that all necessary steps will be taken to implement the regulatory body in January.
¨We hope that our proposals to implement an age limit for three wheelers drivers as well as mandatory training will be taken up by this authority immediately thereafter,” Jayaruk said adding that such an institution has long been necessary for the industry to produce responsible and disciplined three wheeler drivers.
Meanwhile during the meeting presenting several other proposals to Minister Karunanayake, the Association also requested he reconsider imposing the fine of Rupees 25, 000 for overtaking from the left. ¨While we agreed to the other traffic offence fine revisions imposed we asked the Minister to reconsider this since it is extremely unfair¨ he said.
According to him this will cause problems for drivers as well as the Police as implementation of such a fine is not practical in the current road system. ¨We believe this proposal will be scrapped¨ he said.
The association had also requested that leasing facilities for new vehicles be increased to 50 per cent on the value of the vehicle rather than the proposed 25 per cent.
¨Our proposals have been received favourably by the Minister and We are hopeful,¨ he added.