December 2012: the first Park&Ride car park was opened in Riga.
The system provides that car drivers can leave their cars in protected car parks and then take public transport. With 2 validations on any public transport during the day, they can exit the park free of charge.
The opening event was attended by Riga Vice-Mayor Andris Ameriks, Chairman of Riga City Council’s Committee for Communication and Transport Affairs Vadims Baraņņiks, Chairman of the board of SIA “Rīgas pilsētbūvnieks” Andrejs Požarnovs, Chairman of the Board of SIA “Rīgas satiksme” Leons Bemhens.
“Our aim in building park&ride car parks is to reduce traffic jams in Riga and to give priority to public transport”, Riga Vice-Mayor Andris Ameriks emphasized.
The park&ride car park will be available free of charge if a car driver has at least two trips registered on his/her e-talons during the same day of entering and exiting the car park. “The park&ride car park is located near public transport routes. Yet “We will study the situation carefully and will launch extra buses if there will be a big interest for this service”, Chairman of the Board of SIA “Rīgas satiksme” Leons Bemhens said.
The first park&ride car park was established by SIA ”Rīgas pilsētbūvnieks” when building a dwelling house complex in Ulbrokas Street. The area intended for building dwelling houses was restricted and it was decided to build a multi-storey car parking with 676 places. As the car park’s capacity is loaded only by one third, the free parking places were reserved for the needs of park&ride. „The car park is well organised and protected. To save funds, we have decided to use the free parking places and to establish here the first ever park&ride car park in Riga”, said Andrejs Požarnovs, chairman of the board of SIA „Rīgas pilsētbūvnieks”.
