RIGA, May 6 (LETA) - Riga City Council on Tuesday supported introduction of nighttime public transport in the city.

Public transport services in Riga will be provided until 4 a.m. on the nights to Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays until September 28.

EUR 100,000 has been allocated from Riga budget to cover losses that municipal public transport company Rigas Satiksme will incur as a result of nighttime public transport this year.

The proposal was opposed by the National Alliance and Latvian Association of Regions.

Riga Vice Mayor Edvards Ratnieks (National Alliance) explains that he is not against nighttime transport per se, but the way public transport services will be provided. It is cheaper to hire a taxi to carry four passengers than to use a bus for the purpose. Furthermore, it is a one-summer project that is part of Riga coalition parties' election campaigns, he believes.

Councilor Sandris Bergmanis (Harmony) reminds that Riga already had nighttime public transport in the past and it was Harmony that had introduced it.

Introduction of nighttime public transport in Riga was supported by 33 councilors, mostly members of New Unity, the Progressives, and Harmony. The National Alliance and Latvian Association of Regions voted against the proposal.