The first Coventry Very Light Rail vehicle looks set to operate in the city centre this year with plans to construct a 220 metre track along Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road due to be approved by the Council’s Cabinet.
Both the track and the first Very Light Rail vehicle have been successfully tested at the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley and the project is now due to move on to the next stage of testing which will see on-street track laid ahead of further runs of the vehicle.
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “The trial will allow us to showcase the technology in the city centre as well as testing the revolutionary track-laying system which can be installed without significant disruption to utilities such as gas and water pipes.
“This is a major step in our-going testing of Very Light Rail and it’s fantastic that we’re going to be able to demonstrate this innovation and prove, right here in our city centre, that it works.
“Very Light Rail is just one part of our wider ambition to decarbonise transport, tackle climate change and improve air quality and everything we are doing to be the country’s first Electric City.
“Residents will be able to ride the vehicle during the four-week trial and details about how to apply to experience the city’s ground-breaking system will be published on the council website next year [which is actually this year as the press release came out just before Christmas!].
“I look forward to travelling on our vehicle on our track and in our city and would invite all residents to sign up to what is a stepping stone towards our journey to a greener, cleaner future.”
The Coventry Very Light Rail will provide an alternative to the traditionally expensive process of bringing a light rail to a city. It will have no overhead wires and only requires a shallow track to be laid; the track can be laid without the need to move many of the service cables that are laid under roads. This will mean the construction will be cheaper than conventional modern tramways as well as being a quicker build phase – making it more affordable and less disruptive during construction.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “Connecting our communities through an expanded tram network is a key part of my vision for a more affordable and accessible transport system. Very Light Rail has the potential to deliver that faster and at a fraction of the usual cost, putting our region at the forefront of innovation. This demonstrator track shows just how close we are to making this cutting-edge technology a reality for the West Midlands.”
The Coventry Very Light Rail project is currently funded via West Midlands Combined Authority and the Government through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement.
What happens when access is needed to the services under the tram tracks? Do the tracks need to be lifted? Can the trams be diverted whilst the work is being done? Is it cheaper to use batteries (which are heavy and need recharging) than a overhead wire?
This is not a cheaper alternative as it does not offer the same. These are mini-trams which less capacity then a single decker bus! The assumption is that the UK is the only country in Europe too poor to afford full sizes tram systems. Strange that people involved just assume that a tram car and a VLR are the same. Also Coventry is not a small town, a third of a million people live there and this city deserves the real thing, a full size tram system.
Sounds like the Parry People Mover test track set up on Bristol harbourside about 25 years ago. Rather have a proper tram system with lovely wires that I can connect my pantograph to. ????
I too was wondering what happens to the services that remain under the track?
I do like the idea of smaller vehicles though. They mean services can more easily be adjusted to cover demand without the requirement to run a heavy LRV with empty seats at busy times.
I was luck enough to get the chance to drive a People Mover in Bristol. Until I went there I thought the idea was a bit on the crazy side. However, in practice, I found the flywheel-driven vehicle very good. It also worked well on the worn dock-rail. I can see how it would be a cheaper answer and could be built more quicky and at less cost.