RIGA - As far as the issue of new electric trains is concerned, the management board of Pasazieru Vilciens rail passenger carrier is responsible for everything, President Edgars Rinkevics said Friday in an interview with Latvian Television.
The president noted that it has been around three months since the "famous train inauguration ceremony, which was attended by a lot of people pressing buttons", but now that questions are being raised about responsibility for the new trains' many defects they all are trying to avoid responsibility.
Next week, Rinkevics will have a meeting with Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens (Progressives) to discuss current issues of the transport sector, including the electric train problem. The Transport Ministry has given until March 9 for the trains to "start running, but they do not", the president said.
"The first thing I want to see and figure out is what the management board of Pasazieru Vilciens has done since 2017. They are responsible for everything," said Rinkevics, hinting that the company's executives might be "the first heads to roll" over the fallout.
As reported, ten of the new electric trains delivered by the Czech company Skoda Vagonka are currently being used for passenger transport, including eight carrying passengers, while two are in reserve in accordance with the company's risk mitigation plan, representatives of Pasazieru Vilciens (PV) informed LETA on Thursday.
Five trains are undergoing inspections, while two more are undergoing additional checks to eliminate defects.
PV Chairman of the Board Rodgers Janis Grigulis points out that the gradual return of the new electric trains to traffic is being implemented with the aim of reducing the impact on the punctuality of train movement.
"When defects were found in the trains supplied by Skoda Vagonka, we put in place a risk mitigation plan that involves the new trains running as little as possible on single-track lines where train stoppages can have a significant impact on all traffic, and keeping a reserve of trains on standby in case we need to transfer passengers," Grigulis said.
He also stressed that Skoda Vagonka has so far acted responsibly by providing both additional staff for repairs and the presence of engineers during inspections and scheduled runs.
"They have been given until the first ten days of March to ensure that 95 percent of the new electric trains are available for passenger services," Grigulis stressed.
The company also explained earlier that inspection runs take place over one or three days, depending on the specific nature of the defect and the impact on the train's performance. Each train is driven for 200 or 600 kilometers, simulating a regular journey according to the timetable, including stopping at each stop, opening and closing the doors.
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