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Rigas satiksme plans to buy 150 new buses and 120 trolley-buses

Alla Petrova, BC, Riga, 16.02.2011.Print version
Riga municipal public transport company Rigas satiksme plans to continue investment projects this year in line with its public transport development plans, including the procurement of new buses and trolley-buses.

Rigas satiksme board chairman Leons Bemhens informs in a report on the company's development strategy that 120 new three-axle low-floor trolley-buses and 150 new buses are to be bought to renew the company's fleet.

Rigas satiksme press secretary Viktors Zakis told LETA that new passenger buses will replace buses that are over ten years old and are still used in passenger transportation.

According to Zakis, the new buses will most probably be "Mercedes Benz" buses manufactured by "Daimler". It is planned that the new buses will be in operation for ten years.

As reported, investigation is under way into a criminal case where several Riga City Council officials are suspected of accepting bribes from the German auto manufacturer "Daimler" so the company could win a tender for the delivery of "Mercedes-Benz" buses for Rigas satiksme.

Zakis said that although the procurement would be organized already this year, couple years would probably pass until the new buses and trolley-buses arrive in Riga.

The report says new trolley-buses are to be bought by Rigas satiksme because 25% of trolley-buses currently running in Riga are over ten years old.

Rigas satiksme also plans that 20 new low-floor trams will be put in operation in Riga this year, and to carry out several infrastructure modernization projects for the operation of low-floor trams.

Work will also continue on joint electronic payments system for the use of public transport.

Also this year, Rigas satiksme plans to spend LVL 15.3 million on the repayment of the principal amount of its long-term loans.

The report informs that this Rigas satiksme investment projects planned for this year are worth LVL 54 million altogether.






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