Latvia's list of countries requring two weeks of compulsory self-isolation for all arrivals was extended August 14 with four new countries added to the list: European Union member states Ireland, Denmark and Greece, plus former EU member the United Kingdom.
Transport
From Friday, August 14, a driverless bus will start running on Jelgava Post Island (Pasta sala), which will take people the fairly short distance from the tea house to the swimming spot and back. The software allows it to move on its own, without a driver, but due to the law and safety provisions, an operator with a control panel will still be in one of the 12 places, ready to intervene if necessary.
Daugavpils municipality has been trying for many years to move forward the creation and development of an airport. For the first time, the State has allocated funding of EUR 100 000 for the geological survey and pre-project exploration of the Lociki airport site, Latvian Radio reported August 10.
The Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) is asking drivers and vehicle owners to update their electronic user data to avoid double penalties, representative Ieva Bērziņa told Latvian Radio August 7.
Gradually increasing the frequency of flights, passenger numbers serviced at Riga International Airport reached 23% of last year's volume in July. The number of transit and transfer passengers is also growing, the airport said August 5.
LTV's Brussels correspondent Ilze Nagla interviewed Estonian Henrik Hololei, the European Commission's Director-General for Mobility and Transport about the current progress of the giant Rail Baltica project and other matters of regional importance.
Riga minibus traffic (RMS) will not close express routes in August, as opposed to the previously announced plan, RMS said in a media statement July 31.
The procurement commission of “Passenger Rail” has concluded that three of five bidders meet all the selection criteria and are invited to submit their tenders in the second round of the negotiated procedure, the company said July 31.
Riga minibus traffic (RMS) will temporarily close several express routes from August of 3 this year due to a significant drop in passengers, the company informed the media in a statement July 29.
At Riga International Airport, 20% of passenger transport has been restored, compared to last year, as the situation with COVID-19 has improved, Liene Freivalde, director of the airport Aviation Services and Business Development Department, told Latvian Radio July 28.
The European Commission's (EC) decision, which allows the State to invest €250 million in the capital of the Latvian national airline airBaltic, provides for Latvia to recover the investment within five to seven years, Transport Minister Tālis Linkaits (New Conservative Party) said in an interview to LETA July 23.
A survey conducted by the Safe Driving School and "GO" found most drivers in Latvia have done something else while driving, representatives told Latvian Television July 23.
Road Transport Administration said July 23 that road freight transport has decreased by 30% in the first half of 2020, though the number of licensed road transport companies has grown by 9.3%.
On Thursday, July 23, the Latvian Railway (LDz) company will organize large-scale training activities at the Šķirotava train station, imitating an ecological disaster, said spokeswoman Ella Pētermane July 21.
In Latvia, more than 150 thousand addresses cannot be delivered to because the owners have not set up a mailbox, or the mailbox is too damaged. National postal service Latvian Post (LP) is therefore asking households July 21 to get their mailboxes in order.
The massive Rail Baltica infrastructure project has won approval for access to crucial European Union funds, the joint venture overseeing the project said July 16.
Construction and development work of Rail Baltica around the Riga Central Station will significantly expand green zones and multi-functional areas for urban residents, said Linda Vītola, spokeswoman for project executor BereRix on July 16.
In June 2020, the Latvian national airline airBaltic transported 60,409 passengers from all three capital cities of the Baltic States to destinations on the airline's route network in Europe and Scandinavia, the company said July 16.
In future, foreign pensioners will receive fare discounts in Riga public transport under the same conditions as Latvian pensioners, according to a decision taken by the Riga City Council's temporary administration on Wednesday, July 15.
Latvian national airline airBaltic said July 13 it had signed a codeshare agreement with Icelandair that "opens new markets for the carriers by allowing them to sell and issue airline tickets jointly throughout their networks.
Starting Monday, July 13, the national airline airBaltic will renew scheduled flights between Riga and Liepāja four times a week, Kurzeme Regional TV reported on July 10.
Riga International Airport Although was planning to lay off more than 500 employees due to the COVID-19 crisis, but only dismissed 353 in reality, said Chair of the airport board, Laila Odiņa, to Latvian Radio.
A new type of traffic radar has been installed at the intersection of Brīvības and Krustabaznīcas Street in Riga. The radar detects drivers who do not mind the red light, Latvian Television reported on July 8.
Around 700 electric cars are currently on Latvian roads, but now another 100 are joining them. These environmentally-friendly cars will be able to be booked by an app and driven daily, reported financial institution Altum on July 7.
It is planned to close nearly all Tērbatas Street in Riga from July 15 to August 16, giving it to pedestrians and traders, as well as to the development of cultural events, according to the agenda of the meeting of the temporary administration of Riga municipality Tuesday, July 7.
Policymakers responsible for coordinating, funding, and realising the €5.8bn Rail Baltica project presented their latest plans and timelines for completion during a webinar titled ‘Rail Baltica as driver of economic development in the post-COVID recovery’ on 1 July 2020.
On Friday evening, the European Commission (EC) supported the decision of the Latvian government to invest up to €250 million in the capital of the national airline airBaltic to support its COVID-19 crisis management plan, news agency LETA was informed by the EC on July 3.
As the number of flights grew and new destinations opened, the number of passengers at Riga International airport increased by more than 400% in June, the airport representatives told news agency LETA on July 3.
As of Friday, July 3, scheduled international flights from and to Riga International Airport are resumed by the Norwegian low-cost airline “Norwegian”, airport representatives said on July 3.
In Riga's Ģertrūdes Street, another car sank into a hole on Tuesday evening, confirmed Ilze Dimante, spokeswoman for the Riga City Council Transport Department, on June 30.