No municipality has yet agreed to the proposed changes in the public transport route network by the State Transport Authority (ATA), including routes with minimal demand, said ATA representative Tomas Beikulis at a meeting of the Latgale subcommittee of the Saeima's Human Rights and Public Affairs Commission.
The planned changes were sent to 42 municipalities; nine negotiations were held and ten responses were received. No municipality agreed to the proposed changes: some did not provide justifications, while others suggested alternative solutions.
A representative of the State Transport Authority (ATA) informed the deputies that next year it is planned to close routes with minimal demand, for example, the section Silagalgs-Murmastiene, where there are no passengers at all.
The deputies were informed that in 2026, 93.78 million euros is planned to be allocated in the state budget for public transport services. Of this amount, 51.66 million euros is intended for buses - less than in 2025, while 28.56 million euros is allocated for trains, excluding infrastructure costs.
In addition, the ATA informed the deputies that a comprehensive strategy for the development of commercial bus routes is being developed in parallel, which will determine the principles for forming the network. The document includes an analysis of the current situation and international practices, a unified methodological framework for route classification, criteria for ensuring guaranteed service at stops, a plan for changes in regulatory regulation, and an assessment of the financial impact on state subsidies.
The chairman of the ATA board, Janis Lapins, previously told the LETA agency that the directorate will reassess and "analyze" the planned changes to the route network for next year, which envisaged a reduction of the network by 6% and the transfer of about 10% of transportation to commercial principles.
The head of the ATA explained that the changes to the route network were previously discussed with regional planning authorities, and the Public Transport Council approved a preliminary new network plan. The ATA is now resending letters to municipalities with proposals for optimizing the network, asking them to indicate which routes and services should be prioritized.
Lapins also stated that the ATA provided the ministry with information on the necessary additional funding for the route network ranging from 7 to 18 million euros, depending on the size of the indexing and whether salary levels for drivers will be determined.
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