BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28/08/2009

Latvian railroad car plant RVR plans tram renovation

Irina Alenina, BC, Riga, 2

RVR used to make trams at some time in the past, and the company's council chairman Valerijs Igaunis hopes to renew tram production in Riga because trams are in great demand in not only Riga but also other cities and countries.

RVR is currently working on a set of proposals regarding cooperation with the Riga City Council in renovation of Riga trams. Overall, approximately 200 tramcars are needed to replace obsolete trams on all tram routes in Riga, while the agreement with Skoda on purchase of low-floor cars stipulates that only 20 such cars will be supplied to Riga.

It is possible for RVR to reorganize its business, which is proven by the example of Belkomunalmash, which originally manufactured trolley-buses, but now positions itself as a tram maker and exports its products to Russia, said Igaunis.

The talks with Belkomunalmash at this stage deal with supply of RVR-produced rolling stock parts to Belarus, as Belakomunalmash does not make these parts itself.

Commenting the possible cooperation with the Riga City Council, Igaunis said that if the municipality orders trams from RVR, new jobs will be created at not only RVR but also in other industries.

Following a recent visit to Belarus, the heads of the Riga City Council have a favorable opinion of the plans to develop cooperation between RVR and Belarusian company MAZ, possibly even the establishment of a joint venture. As the Riga Deputy Mayor Ainars Slesers (Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way) said, Skoda makes rather costly trams, whereas those offered by Belarus are two and more times less expensive.

Furthermore, if the Riga City Council reaches agreement with the government on merging the Riga municipal public transport company Rigas satiksme with the company Pasazieru vilciens (Passenger Train), the new company could order not only new trams but also trains from RVR.

Source:

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=17549

Google
 


Partners:
Face.by Social Network
Face.by