Bus routes to be increased during holidays

In a bid to curb private bus companies from raising prices during national festivities, the government yesterday announced that it will expand bus routes along National Roads to and from the capital.

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Hun Sen as he was delivering a speech to about 14,000 garment workers in Phnom Penh.

Mr Hun Sen called on City Hall’s transportation department to deploy more buses in order to accommodate garment workers during the upcoming Pchum Ben Day in October, as it did for Khmer New Year in April.

“We are willing to incur the losses. Deploy even more buses and serve people with joy. During the holidays, deploy buses along the National Road to prevent bus company owners from raising the rates as they please,” Mr Hun Sen said.

“We will play it this way. They will gradually lose customers. Keep adding more buses and expand the lines to make it easy for our workers,” Mr Hun Sen added.

San Chey, Affiliated Network for Social Accountability executive director, said the move was welcomed by his organisation.

“It’s a good move, but previously there were problems related to departure and it hampered people’s travel,” Mr Chey said.

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