Latvia will triple the number of average speed cameras on roads, Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens announced, LSM reports. Currently, there are average speed cameras on 16 road sections. Briskens said that the situation on Latvian roads was critical. He said that the ministry would increase focus on improving road infrastructure and enforcement of speed limits….
Most drivers in Latvia routinely exceed the speed limit, creating what Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens calls a “speed pandemic,” BNS reports. A study by Riga Technical University reveals that only 29% of drivers adhere to speed limits. Reducing the average speed by 2 kmph could save 20 lives. Briskens said he would push for increasing…
Members of the supervisory council of Latvia’s state-owned passenger train operator, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), have resigned, LSM reports. The company has come under heavy criticism because of recurring problems with new electric trains delivered by the Czech manufacturer, Skoda Vagonka. Vivi’s council chairman, Sandis Steins, insisted that responsibility for the problems was beyond the council’s…
The Baltic States support banning the import of grain from Russia and Belarus into the EU, according to the Lithuanian Transport Minister, Marius Skuodis, BNS reports. He discussed the issue with Latvian Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens and Estonian Climate Minister Kristen Michal. The ministers agreed to coordinate actions and avoid national initiatives. Earlier, Skuodis noted…
The Estonian state should consider buying a stake in Latvia’s national air carrier, airBaltic, Riivo Tuvike, CEO of Tallinn Airport, suggested, ERR reports. He argued that this would push airBaltic towards expanding operations at Tallinn Airport, where it is the market leader. Tuvike pointed out that Estonia was a “peripheral country,” saying that state support…
Defects in new electric trains of Latvia’s state-owned carrier, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), disrupted the daily commute of hundreds of passengers in the first week of 2024, LSM reported. The technical problems resulted in running cancellations and delays of many departures. Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens assured that most of the defects were “relatively trivial.” However, some…
Lithuania is exploring the possibility of acquiring a stake in Latvia’s national air carrier, Air Baltic Corporation (airBaltic), according to Transport Minister Marius Skuodis, BNS reports. Skuodis has discussed the issue with his Latvian counterpart, Kaspars Briskens. Skuodis suggested that some airBaltic aircraft could be based in Lithuania and that airBaltic could become a joint…
The EU should ban the import and transit of grain from Russia and Belarus, Latvia’s Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens stated, LSM reports. He urged the Baltic States to adopt a joint position on the issue, whereas Latvia’s state-owned rail operator, LDz Cargo, insisted on the need for a common EU stance. When Estonia’s state-owned rail…
Passenger rail service from Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, to the Latvian capital, Riga, could begin in the second half of 2025, according to Estonian passenger rail operator Elron, LETA reports. Latvia’s passenger train operator, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), has proposed opening a rail link from Riga to Tartu in spring 2025. Latvia’s Transport Minister, Kaspars Briskens,…