Riga will probably be left without a metrobus

In Riga, the metrobus project will probably not be implemented, and the funding planned for it will be used to implement the fourth stage of the South Bridge.

The Mayor of Riga and the head of the Committee on Administrative and Financial Affairs of the Riga City Council, Vilnis Kirsis, today at the committee meeting called for the issue of the public transport line and the corresponding bicycle infrastructure on Dzelzavas Street from Zemitansky Bridge to Juglas Street to be removed from the agenda.

The mayor justified this by the fact that the government coalition supported the proposal of Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens to redirect the funds allocated for the metrobus line to the Rail Baltica project and the construction of the Central Railway Station. At the same time, funding for the construction of the fourth stage of the South Bridge, about the possible termination of which Kirsis previously expressed concerns, will be maintained.

As Kirsis pointed out, without funding from structural funds, the capital will not be able to implement the metrobus project, but first it is necessary to wait for the government’s decision.

Construction of the metrobus line in Riga was planned to begin this year, the costs were estimated at 40 million euros.

A metrobus is a separate bus or trolleybus line, separated from the rest of the traffic flow, along which buses and trolleybuses can travel much faster.