Ainars, from Liepāja, has been disabled for two years. The pedestrian bridge is not accessible to him.
"There is no way for a wheelchair to get there. It should be in all places these days - they make it so that a wheelchair can access it, but there is no possibility yet," said Ainars.
Mudīte also had to use a wheelchair for a while. She has realized that the Liepāja station pedestrian bridge is insurmountable. To get to the other side without crossing the bridge, it takes a 30-minute detour - 2.5 kilometers.
"Of course it needs repairs. And secondly, mothers and disabled people need to be thought of. I myself had a disability a few months ago, we don't cross - we have to go around in circles," said Mudīte.
The overpass has been under repairs by Latvian Railways in several phases since 2020. The next stage of repairs is planned to be completed this autumn, with significant investment, said Agnese Līcīte, press secretary of SJSC Latvian Railways:
"We plan to dismantle the existing wooden plates and replace them with metal lattice structures and a metal plate. This will improve both the safe operation of the bridge and its aesthetics. It will also ensure that the bridge can serve the needs of pedestrians for many years to come."
Meanwhile, wheelchair users may only be able to use the bridge after the next phase of renovation works. With a caveat - if funds can be found.
"Lifts will be built at both ends of the bridge to ensure accessibility for families with children and people with reduced mobility, and lighting will also be installed on the bridge. At the moment, the project is still in the process of being coordinated in order to move forward and be granted European co-financing," said Līcīte.
The association of people with disabilities and their friends "Apeirons" pointed out that many places in Latvia, including overpasses and other public spaces, are not accessible to people with disabilities.
"This is discrimination by definition. Where can people go if they can't get over that bridge? Not go?" asked Jurģis Briedis, an environmental accessibility expert at the association.
The Liepāja railway overpass was built more than 20 years ago, providing a link between a residential area and another part of the city, where the bus station is also located.
