16 January, the government approved the Cabinet of Ministers regulations prepared by the Ministry of Transport (MoT), which define the procedure for implementing and monitoring the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) investment of 99.59 million euros for environmentally friendly improvements to Riga public transport network.
“We are using the EU funds to make Riga public transport more convenient and modern. This includes investment in cycle paths, pedestrian infrastructure, the extension of tram and trolley bus line and the vision of “station 2.0”. This encompasses various types of infrastructure designed to facilitate passengers’ shift to public transport, whether it is through the parking lots or bike racks near the railway stops, “station 2.0” is an ambitious step towards multimodal transport,” admits Minister of Transport Kaspars Briskens.
The investment will be used to build “station 2.0” concept at eight locations in Riga, including the stop “Šķirota” for tram and trolleybus line extensions. Funding is also earmarked for the construction of an independent high-speed public transport line which will be separated from the road traffic, along with bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the transport corridor Riga centre - Dreiliņi.
The purpose of the investment is to encourage a shift in travel habits in the Riga metropolitan area by developing an environmentally friendly and competitive public transport service. This involves developing an integrated route network and offering residents access to rail and emission-free transport as a priority, while also ensuring the connectivity of public transport with micromobility options. As a result, residents who rely on personal car transportation on a daily basis will be provided with convenient alternatives by public transport.
Environmentally friendly improvements in the public transport system of Riga state city municipality are one of the measures implemented by the MoT within the greening of the transport system of the Riga metropolitan area, in which a total of 295 million euros of RRF is planned to be invested. The aim of the reform is to reduce the negative impact of transport on the quality of the capital's environment and to develop integrated public transport services that meet the needs of the citizens, strengthening the role of railways as the backbone of public transport. It is expected that the implemented reform will promote a change in the daily mobility habits of the population, encouraging them to shift from private transport to public transport, which in turn will make a positive contribution to the achievement of the European Green Deal.
