The Council’s Cabinet has given the go-ahead for the construction and operation of a test track for Coventry’s Very Light Rail on public roads in the city centre.
Very Light Rail (VLR) is a West Midlands project to develop a cheaper form of tram and track, that can be used on roads without the need for major reconstruction. The vehicles are lighter and the specially designed track system can be installed in the top levels of a road without disturbing deeper services.
This should reduce the cost of tram provision to a target cost of £10m/km, considerably less than a full weight tram system.
The track has been extensively tested at Warwick University, Whitley Depot and at a test track at the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Centre. But this will be the first time it has been used on public highways.
The test track will be a 220m long single track demonstrator on Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road. This initial section of track, which will test the track and vehicle in a live setting, is intended to be completed in Spring 2025 with the vehicle in operation for a four-week period.
The scheme will provide an opportunity for local people, along with other interested parties, to ride on the vehicle in a controlled environment and provide feedback.
The purpose of the on-street showcase is to trial and optimize installation methods on a live road and prove that the track can be installed in significantly less time and at much reduced cost compared to conventional tram systems.
It will provide assurance to utility companies that it is possible for their apparatus to remain under the track and enable the monitoring and collection of data on track performance. It is also hoped that the project will stimulate commercial interest.
