The Campaign for Better Transport have recently run a \u201cBetter Transport Week\u201d, calling for improvements to the UK\u2019s public transport system. As part of this they hosted a Light Rail summit a the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre, Dudley where the Coventry Very Light Rail scheme was a hot topic with discussions on how it could transform the entire light rail industry.<\/p>\n
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During the summit representatives from Coventry City Council, the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, UK Tram, Sparvagnsstaderna, Thames Gateway Tramlink and Mainspring highlighted the many benefits of light rail investment for towns and cities in the UK and Europe.<\/p>\n
With Coventry set to lead the way with their Very Light Rail demonstration line due to up and running later this year, Cllr Jim O\u2019Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change, said: \u201cCampaign for Better Transport is doing brilliant and much needed work to highlight the UK\u2019s chronic underinvestment in public transport. Ironically there is a solution in our Coventry Very Light Rail scheme \u2013 it will drive down the cost of providing a green, efficient and high-quality form of public transport, making it affordable to install for Coventry and cities and towns across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoventry Very Light Rail is a game changer \u2013 bringing installation costs down to around \u00a310mn per kilometre. It does this by making use of a zero emission, battery powered vehicle that can turn tight corners alongside a revolutionary shallow trackform which will allow us to keep many utilities in the ground. We\u2019re calling on government to back this project and provide the investment to make it a reality in Coventry and fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Coventry we\u2019re leading the green industrial revolution and the push to decarbonise our transport system. We\u2019ll be the UK\u2019s first all-electric bus city by 2025, we\u2019ve installed more electric vehicle charge points than any other city in the UK and we\u2019re hard at work installing miles of high-quality segregated cycle lanes. We just need government process to catch up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Solomon Williams from the Campaign for Better Transport said: \u201c\u201cLight rail networks used to be commonplace across the UK, and their removal has led directly to the over-congested, dangerous, polluted roads which are such a problem today, damaging communities, our health and the environment. The development of this exciting lower-cost model offers the chance for more cities to install high-quality rail systems that change the way people get about. Very Light Rail and BCIMO are at the forefront of innovation, and we believe that they can lead the way to a future with light rail back at the heart of our transport networks.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Campaign for Better Transport have recently run a \u201cBetter Transport Week\u201d, calling for improvements to the UK\u2019s public transport system. As part of this they hosted a Light Rail summit a the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre, Dudley where … Continue reading