Latvian Minister of Transport Kaspars Briškens has ordered a full external audit of the new passenger trains procurement procedure.
The minister wants auditors to evaluate the development of technical specifications, commissioning of new trains, deployment of trains and responsibility of those involved.
Briškens wrote on X [formerly Twitter] that Pasažieru vilciens (PV) council members “will no longer be performing their duties”. The Ministry of Transport did not provide LETA with any detailed information if this means the council could be dissolved. “The main priority remains unchanged – overcome this crisis as soon as possible,” the minister wrote on X.
LETA previously reported that at the end of 2023 PV deployed new Škoda Vagonka electric trains on passenger railway routes. Before their deployment, these trains were tested in Latvia. Despite this, however, various technical problems keep surfacing, delaying trains and passenger-carrying services. For example, on Monday, the 22nd of January, more than a dozen trains on nearly all routes were cancelled.
Politicians interviewed by LETA believe that when it comes to problems with new electric trains, the blame lies with PV, not the minister of transport.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa previously said that she expects Briškens to assess the situation and provide a clear solution to the passenger trains delay problem.
When asked if Briškens should take responsibility for this situation, Siliņa told LETA that she has only discussed the situation with the minister. The Ministry of Transport has been ordered to perform a large-scale investigation.
“It is completely unacceptable for Latvia’s residents to be used as “lab rats” and be forced to wait outside in the freezing weather, wondering whether the train will come or not,” said Siliņa.
The first two Škoda Vagonka electric trains were delivered to Riga in June 2022.
Each train consists of four train cars. The length of a single train is 109 m. Each train has 436 seats and enough room for 454 standing passengers. All trains have same-level boarding from adapted train platforms.
Also read: ViVi fails. One new electric train breaks down mere days after initial deployment
Also read: Who should take responsibility for weeks-long problems with trains in Latvia?
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