For now, these are just rumors and no decisions have been made yet, and most likely none will be made before the parliamentary elections, but you can't hide a needle in a sack. After all, keeping the developing regulatory framework completely secret is practically impossible, as it is not handled by just one person.
Currently, the information is contradictory; everything is at the level of "discussions" and "assumptions" – allegedly, the Riga City Council has begun to create a new parking concept. Of course, it can only foresee an increase in tariffs. It is said that the discussion is not only about raising parking fees but also about changing zoning – supposedly, the "R" zone, which currently operates in Old Riga, will expand to nearby neighborhoods. This will shift the boundaries of other parking zones, meaning that "cheap" parking will become more expensive.
It is possible that parking fees will increase by 20% in 2027 and by another 10% in 2028. Although the latter is quite unlikely, as there are elections in 2029. Either way, rumors suggest that in the "R" zone, electric vehicles will be deprived of the right to free curbside parking altogether, and their owners will have to pay the full parking cost, while in other zones, the first hour will be free, and then fees will apply on general terms.
It is believed that the city center has become a zone of free parking for electric vehicles, and some of them occupy their spots not for several hours but for weeks. According to leaked information, 40% of parking spaces in Old Riga are currently occupied by electric vehicles, and in zone "A," their population occupies up to 35% of municipal parking lots. This deprives other drivers of the opportunity to park their cars there even for five minutes: there are no spots available.
If this is the case, then the Riga City Hall's affection for electric vehicles may come to an end. Furthermore, although they still do not pay a transport tax (for roads), something still needs to be done to maintain them.
As of April 1, there were 14,813 registered passenger electric vehicles in Latvia. So whether there will be a reform of parking policy or not depends solely on the vote in the City Hall. By the way, curbside parking tariffs in Riga have not changed for two consecutive five-year periods.
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