The first phase of the Park & Ride bus service was inaugurated at the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Center, Kottawa today (Jan. 15) in the presence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a solution to the heavy traffic congestion surrounding Colombo city limits. The “Park & Ride” aims to minimize the number of automobiles travelling to and from Colombo and suburbs by providing a comfortable, convenient and safe public bus transportation for passengers and riders who use cars and motorcycles as their means of transportation. It also seeks to reduce environment pollution, time wasted on the road and the mental stress of the passengers. The luxury buses used for the service will only carry seated passengers and the bus fare will be twice the regular fare. The buses will stop at limited stops to admit passengers and will reach the destination in a lesser time than regular buses. In addition, the staff is trained to offer a disciplined, friendly and attractive service to all the passengers alike. To ensure the smooth functioning of the service, a follow-up inspection will be carried out using new technology on daily basis. It will operate as a Clockwise and Anti Clockwise service covering both arrivals and departures from Colombo and into Colombo.