Bus operators warned against raising fares

By YVONNE KAMBIBEL
POLICE are warning bus operators, especially those on Route 20, not to raise their fares.
On Monday afternoon, an unidentified traffic police officer arrived at a bus stop near the TST Supermarket to warn drivers.
The National was at the scene when it happened.
Passengers were trying to squeeze their way into the buses to hurry home when bus crews confronted them to pay a K3 fare.
Bus drivers started shouting at them, telling them “it was published in last week’s newspaper that bus fares would increase”.
“This is New Year, so we will be collecting K3 from now on,” they said.
Traffic policemen arrived at the bus stop in front of the supermarket to warn bus drivers.
The police officer said reports had reached their office that passengers had paid K3 bus fare to go to 4-Mile that morning.
“Bus fare for this route is K2 and should remain so until further notice from the authorities,” he told bus operators.
“For now, no one is allowed to collect a higher fare as this would be referred to as theft.”
Few passengers claimed that they had paid K3 fee in the morning.
However, as soon as the policemen left the scene, the bus drivers and crews forced passengers to vacate the buses and look for other means of transport to get home.
The passengers got out of the buses and argued with the bus operators that attracted an even bigger crowd.
The traffic policemen returned, this time with guns to disperse the crowd.