The Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) transport system is to be showcased on the streets of Coventry as part of a real-world testing programme following the approval of funding by regional transport bosses. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board has agreed the first instalment of an expected £72 million investment in the emerging VLR technology – designed to be both faster and cheaper to build than traditional tram and rail systems. The Board’s green light will also enable specialist on-site testing for other VLR systems to move forward.
With development already underway in Coventry and Dudley, the West Midlands is at the forefront of VLR and well placed to become a global leader in both design and manufacture. Using light weight, battery-powered electric vehicles the Coventry VLR system operates without overhead cables and its innovative track is designed to require less extensive foundation works, making installation quicker and less expensive while delivering similar environmental benefits.
Much of the new investment will be used to build a real-world demonstration track in Coventry city centre and to develop the business case for a fully operational system. There will also be further investment in the newly opened Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) in Dudley, enabling the purchase of equipment so that the centre can become fully operational. The funding will also be used to explore the business cases for further VLR lines and links with the existing West Midlands Metro network.
A total of £72 million has been earmarked for the project from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. The first £36.8 million agreed by the Board today, which is enough to get the projects well underway, will now go to the Department for Transport for final sign off.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: “This funding will allow us to take Very Light Rail to the next level – from the workshop to real-world demonstration – and shows the WMCA Board’s unequivocal backing for innovation in Coventry.