Riga Resident Upset Over 27 Electric Cars in Bus Lane on Kalpaka Boulevard

A Riga resident has drawn attention on the social media platform Threads to a situation on Kalpaka Boulevard, where, by her account, 27 electric cars were driving in a public transport lane. In her view, this forced buses and other public transport to sit in a traffic jam. The woman, who goes by Laura, asks when electric cars will be banned from using such lanes. The question is timely because the number of electric vehicles in Latvia keeps growing quickly.

What participants in the discussion said

One user believes a full ban would not be necessary, but that specific hours could be set when electric cars may not use the lanes, for example 7–10 a.m. and 4–7 p.m. Another commenter says the traffic perks for electric cars may soon be scrapped, as there are now many such vehicles and they cause inconvenience to other road users. He suggests that support for buying electric cars may remain, while other privileges could be withdrawn.

Not everyone agrees with restrictions. Kristīne notes that public transport lanes are not always busy enough to justify keeping other vehicles out. Liene, meanwhile, is convinced that as the number of electric cars continues to rise, new restrictions could be introduced in the future.

What the rules say

The option for electric cars to use public transport lanes in Latvia is not new: the exception was added to the Road Traffic Regulations by amendments in 2019. Point 92 of the regulations allows electric vehicles with special registration plates to drive in these lanes. The permission is not unconditional, as road signs and additional plates at a given location must be observed.

Data from the Road Traffic Safety Directorate show that on 1 January 2026 more than 14,300 electric vehicles were registered in Latvia. At the end of 2024 there were slightly more than 9,000, so the number has grown by almost 50%. Even so, electric vehicles still make up only slightly more than one percent of Latvia's total vehicle fleet.