Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) is a
light rail tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
system proposed to operate in
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
, England. The system has been promoted as being the first of its kind in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
When finished, it will also be the first tram network to operate in Coventry since the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Plans to establish such a system were first revealed during 2016; development work was headed by the
Warwick Manufacturing Group
WMG, University of Warwick (formerly Warwick Manufacturing Group), is a UK-based research and education group combining collaborative research and development with education programmes working in applied science, technology and engineering. An ...
(WMG) and
Transport Design International (TDI). Operational responsibility for the scheme has been assigned to
Transport for West Midlands
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is the public body responsible for co-ordinating transport services in the West Midlands metropolitan county in England. It is an executive body of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), with bus franch ...
(TfWM). It was designed to be substantially cheaper to establish than conventional
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
ways and light railways, making use of
batteries to avoid installing expensive
overhead line equipment
An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, trolleybuses or trams. It is known variously as:
* Overhead catenary
* Overhead contact system (OCS)
* Overhead equipmen ...
along much of the route, along with light rails that are easy to install and repair. The system is reportedly to be compatible with that of the
West Midlands Metro
The West Midlands Metro (originally named Midland Metro) is a light-rail/tram system in the county of West Midlands, England. Opened on 30 May 1999, it currently consists of a single route, Line 1, which operates between the cities of Birmi ...
mass transit system.
During early 2018, WMG started formalising its procurement arrangements with various industrial partners to complete development and produce the vehicle. Construction of the first prototype vehicle is scheduled to be completed and start initial testing during the second half of 2020, while delivery is set to occur during 2021. During 2019, it was announced that the first line of the system was planned to be operational by 2024.
Further expansion of the network is intended after this point to cover various commercial, residential, and industrial districts of Coventry, as well as linking up with other transit hubs.
Background
Proposals for Coventry to adopt this technology were first publicly revealed during 2016. The concept for this mass transit system originated from the
Warwick Manufacturing Group
WMG, University of Warwick (formerly Warwick Manufacturing Group), is a UK-based research and education group combining collaborative research and development with education programmes working in applied science, technology and engineering. An ...
(WMG), an institution that is closely associated with the
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...
; much of the system's early development was performed by the group prior to other entities becoming involved.
In January 2018, WMG commenced its procurement process, in which various industry partners were selected to develop and produce aspects of the vehicle.
During June 2018, it was announced that WMG had awarded a contract to the
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-we ...
based transport specialist
Transport Design International (TDI). In accordance with this selection, TDI has been assigned overall responsibility for the design and manufacture of the vehicles, working in close cooperation with WMG to do so.
Further elements of the system have been contracted to numerous third parties. Tikab & Arogus will perform both the design and manufacture of both the bogies and the control systems. Transcal is responsible for producing miscellaneous metal fabricated elements, along with the seating and interior fittings.
Transport for West Midlands
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is the public body responsible for co-ordinating transport services in the West Midlands metropolitan county in England. It is an executive body of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), with bus franch ...
(TfWM) had been appointed to as the lead authority on all operational aspects of the system.
That same month, it was suggested that an initial section of the system, running between the railway station and the city centre, could open as early as 2021,.
During early 2019, it was announced that development of the system had reached an advanced stage, along with an initial route and launch date.
It is reportedly scheduled for the first demonstrator vehicle to be completed by autumn 2020, after which it will be subject to a series of tests in advance of its delivery during the following year.
Testing will be conducted at the
Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre
Very may refer to:
* English's prevailing intensifier
Businesses
* The Very Group, a British retail/consumer finance corporation
** Very (online retailer), their main e-commerce brand
* VERY TV, a Thai television channel
Places
* Véry, a co ...
in Castle Hill, Dudley, West Midlands.
It has been speculated that early passenger-carrying services could commence as early as 2021 while a full service would follow two or three years later.
Technology
The concept of 'Very Light Rail' (VLR) has been developed as a means of delivering a light rail system at a much lower cost and with much reduced construction times than traditional tramways or light rail systems. This will allow for such systems to be rolled out across smaller towns and cities so they can gain benefits of a tram system at a considerably more affordable cost.
The system had reportedly been engineered for compatibility with the existing
West Midlands Metro
The West Midlands Metro (originally named Midland Metro) is a light-rail/tram system in the county of West Midlands, England. Opened on 30 May 1999, it currently consists of a single route, Line 1, which operates between the cities of Birmi ...
mass transit network.
It has been envisioned that services upon the network could be operated upon a 'turn up and go' frequency at a typical interval of every three to four minutes, rather than using a
timetable
A schedule or a timetable, as a basic time-management tool, consists of a list of times at which possible task (project management), tasks, events, or actions are intended to take place, or of a sequence of events in the chronological order ...
.
Vehicles
The VLR concept uses lightweight vehicles, each typically accommodating 50 passengers; of these 20 will be seated while 30 will have to stand. It has been proposed for these vehicles to eventually be operated
autonomously.
Guidance is to be primarily achieved from its rails. The vehicle are primarily composed of
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
and
aluminium
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...
, while also incorporating several
composite
Composite or compositing may refer to:
Materials
* Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances
** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts
** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials
...
components.
The vehicles are to be equipped with
batteries; when combined with rapid charging systems, the need for
overhead line equipment
An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, trolleybuses or trams. It is known variously as:
* Overhead catenary
* Overhead contact system (OCS)
* Overhead equipmen ...
to be installed throughout the route is dispensed with, resulting in reduced installation costs.
Being electrically powered, it produces zero emissions and is therefore an environment-friendly means of transportation.
Track
A major feature of the system is the track, which is prefabricated. This is relatively lightweight and shallower than traditional
tramway track
Tramway track is used on tramways or light rail operations. Grooved rails (or girder rails) are often used to provide a protective flangeway in the trackwork in city streets. Like standard rail tracks, tram tracks consist of two parallel s ...
, enabling it to be laid over existing
utilities
A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and r ...
and thus avoiding the need for these to be relocated, requiring less excavation; all of these factors make it quicker and cheaper to install.
If required, the track can be dismantled and reused at other locations, being held together by a series of clips; this feature has also been promoted for ease of maintenance. The track is seated upon slabs, the materials of which can comprise a high-strength foam core with a recycled plastic coating.
Network and funding
The first proposed route for the system is from
Coventry railway station
Coventry railway station is the main railway station serving the city of Coventry, West Midlands, England. The station is on the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line (WCML); it is also located at the centre of a junction where the ...
to the
University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire via Coventry city centre. This route is proposed to be operational by 2024. Another proposed route would link the railway station with the University of Warwick.
In the long term, the city council has intentions to construct a total of four routes which are intended to connect the major residential, industrial and commercial areas across the city, as well as a direct connection to the
HS2
High Speed 2 (HS2) is a planned high-speed railway line in England, the first phase of which is under construction in stages and due for completion between 2029 and 2033, depending on approval for later stages. The new line will run from its m ...
station near
Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport , formerly ''Birmingham International Airport'', is an international airport located east-southeast of Birmingham city centre, west-northwest of Coventry slightly north of Bickenhill village, in the Metropolitan Borou ...
via Kenpas Highway & (possibly)
Allesley
Allesley is an English suburban village and civil parish in the City of Coventry metropolitan borough, West Midlands, about 3¼ miles (5.25 km) west-northwest of Coventry city centre and 4 miles (6.5 km) east-south-east of Meriden. ...
.
Furthermore, it is hoped that the successful demonstration of the technology at Coventry will give developers and planners elsewhere confidence to deploy their own networks at other locations.
The scheme has been included in a wider £15 billion plan to reshape mass transit in the West Midlands. £2.4 million of funding for its development has been sourced from the British Government's Local Growth fund through the
Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP). An additional £12.2 million was secured from the devolution deal for the
West Midlands Combined Authority
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is a combined authority for the West Midlands metropolitan county in the United Kingdom. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Ac ...
(WMCA).
Additional backing may come from private enterprises, efforts to secure such partnerships commenced during late 2019. It has been stated that the cost of building the system will equal £7 million per kilometre, which is substantially less than the £35-60 million per kilometre of traditional tram systems.
Vehicles
The vehicle (yet to be named) will carry up to 50 passengers in total with 20 seated.
The first vehicle left the production line in March 2021, and was taken on a showcase tour before being taken to
Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
for testing. With the low capacity, the vehicles will operate at a frequency of every 5–6 minutes, with the Hourly Capacity being quadruple the capacity of the existing bus system in the city. There are plans to implement
autonomous
In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...
technology to bring frequencies up to every 3–4 minutes, this will most likely only occur if trams become overcrowded (which is expected).
See also
*
Coventry Corporation Tramways
Coventry Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Coventry, England, between 1912 and 1940.
History
Coventry and District Tramways Company
The Coventry and District Tramways Company successfully promoted a bill in 1881 to construct ...
- the historic tramway system in Coventry which ceased operation in 1940.
*
Light rail
*
West Midlands Metro
The West Midlands Metro (originally named Midland Metro) is a light-rail/tram system in the county of West Midlands, England. Opened on 30 May 1999, it currently consists of a single route, Line 1, which operates between the cities of Birmi ...
- another tramway system in the West Midlands.
*
Parry People Movers
Parry People Movers Ltd. (PPM) is a British company manufacturing lightweight trams and railcars that use flywheel energy storage (FES) to store energy for traction, allowing electric systems to operate without overhead wires or third rails, a ...
References
External links
Coventry City Council page about the systemUniversity of Warwick page about the systemVery Light Rail Innovation Centre
{{Rail infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom
Rail transport in Coventry
Tram transport in England
Proposed railway lines in England
2024 in rail transport