Latvian Railways LDz has signed agreements with two contractors for the design and build 48 rail stations and stops following the tender organised in 2020.
With the partnership BMGS – FIMA, the rail company signed the contract for the design and construction of the facilities on five railway lines, while Leonhard Weiss will perform the same works on the Zemitāni – Skulte Zemitāni – Vecāķi line.
The project will involve the modernisation of passenger infrastructure at the stations and stops on the selected lines, and the new stops will be constructed at Silikātu Street and Slokas Street (on the Torņakalns-Bolderāja line), at Dauderi (Zemitāni-Skulte line), and near the Alfa shopping mall (Rīga-Cēsis line).
The project is part of the measure 6.2.1.2 “modernisation and construction of railway infrastructure” of the specific support measure 6.2.1. “to provide a competitive and environmentally-friendly TEN-T rail network, promoting its safety, quality and capacity” which is funded by the EU under the Operational Programme “Growth and Jobs”.
The project’s total costs are planned at EUR 44.4 million, of which co-funding from the EU Cohesion Fund will make up 85 percent, and the remaining 15 percent will be paid by LDz from its own sources.
The works will start this year and are expected to be completed in 2023.
To become the backbone of the transport system, “modern infrastructure at rail stations and stops, that would be friendly to all groups of passengers, safe and high-quality overall railway infrastructure, fast and sufficiently frequent rail traffic, as well as comfortable and modern rolling stock” are essential components, LDz Chairman of the Board Māris Kleinbergs explains.
All stations will be modernised and their platforms will be elevated. LDz will install modern and functional canopies, benches and bicycle parking areas, modern passenger information systems, and facilities for passengers with reduced mobility will be provided. The rail passenger infrastructure will be made accessible to people with movement, sight and hearing impairments, and tactile surfaces and guides will be provided for passengers with such special needs. Video surveillance will be installed to enhance passengers’ security.
Considering that the development of railway in Latvia has so far been multilayered and the railway infrastructure reflects the change of various powers and fashion trends in the course of many years, for the first time in Latvia’s railway history, in 2020 LDz worked out to uniform visual guidelines for passenger infrastructure, which will be used at all new and moderned railway stations, thus creating a uniform visual image of the Latvian railway infrastructure.
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