Soviet-Era Elevators Pose Dilemma in Latvia

Many of the approximately 7,000 elevators in Latvia, including around 5,000 in the capital, Rīga, are from the Soviet era and are probably roughly 50 years old, prompting authorities to search for solutions to the aging-elevator problem, Latvian Radio reports. According to Rīgas Namu Parvaldnieks (RNP), a company consisting of 15 municipal building administrations to help ensure proper upkeep of apartment buildings, only 4% of the 1,200 elevators in RNP-managed buildings are under 35 years old. More than 40% are older than 45. An RNP spokesperson said that, although the situation is “stable,” spare parts do not exist. KONE Lifti Latvija, one of the country’s biggest maintenance companies, said most of the 1,500 elevators it services are old, and complaints are received daily. A company representative estimates that, with the current capacity, approximately 300 elevators could be replaced per year. There are 7,000 elevators in Latvia, including 5,000 in Rīga. The Rīga City Council is looking to include elevator replacement in a publicly funded accessibility program.