Jurmala collects EUR 2.1 million from entry passes

RIGA - Jurmala local government last year collected EUR 2.1 million from entry passes in the town, the local government's representative Zane Leite reported.

Last year 934,000 one-day entry passes were purchased, including 129,000 entry passes purchased via mobile services.

The money from entry passes is paid into the town's basic budget and used for development of tourism and resort environment, environment protection, protection of culture monuments and public order and security.

Jurmala introduced entry pass in 1996, and in 2013 decided to lift the entry pass during the fall and winter season. The active entry pass during the spring/summer season regulates the transit transport flow in the city and protects the environment. With the start of the spring/summer season, vehicles will have to purchase entry passes to enter Jurmala from April 1 to September 30.

As reported, Jurmala will be introducing an electronic toll system for vehicles this summer, which means that police will be able to fine all vehicles which have entered the resort city without paying the toll. Vehicles will be monitored with special video cameras, where the license plates of all those entering the city will be recorded and entered into a database.

The database will include all of the license plate numbers which have an entrance permit, or who have purchased one-day passes to enter the city. It will also be still possible to purchase one-day toll tickets from the toll machines entering the city. Drivers will now also have to enter their license plate numbers when purchasing the toll tickets.