Agenda item

Briefing note of the Director of City Services and Commercial

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a presentation and briefing note of the Director of Innovation that provided an overview of the governance agreed with the Department for Transport (DfT) and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) for the Very Light Rail Regional Programme, including Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR). It also provided an update on the current status of the CVLR Programme.

The presentation and briefing note highlighted the following:

·  New system could deliver affordable urban mass transit across the UK and beyond

·  The cost cutting game-changer trackform

·  Coventry Very Light Rail Scheme promoted by Coventry City Council (£40.5m)

·  Dudley Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) had been promoted by the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) and Dudley Council (£12m)

·  A mass Transit Options Appraisal Study which would include an assessment of urban VLR promoted by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) (£5m)

·  VLR Dependencies - three schemes within the business case: CVLR was the pilot scheme; VLRNIC supported the CVLR Research and Development Programme; TfWM exploration of the using CVLR technology.

·  CVLR governance – Coventry VLR approval process proposals

·  Secured and unsecured funding

·  The completion of Stage Gate 1 – December 2023

·  Track test sites at Warwick University, Coventry City Council’s Whitley Depot and VLRNIC, and lessons learned

·  City Centre Demonstrator 2024/25 – railway Station to City Centre

·  City Centre Traffic Management Plan

·  Cost benefits of CVLR vs Light Rail

·  Very Light Rail Opportunities – Autonomy, development of trackform, decarbonisation, global and national exploitation

The next steps for the Scheme were:

·  Prove the new track form could be installed with minimal disruption to the city and utilities at circa £10m/km

·  Operate the CVLR vehicle as a working showcase of the technology for both national and global customers and investors

·  Continue to engage with Stakeholders to build the market for the vehicle, track and integrated system at regional and national events

·  Develop and implement a commercialisation strategy

·  Use the evidence from City Centre Demonstrator to support future business case submissions

·  Seek to secure funding to support the installation of a first commercial route in Coventry

In considering the presentation and briefing note, the Board questioned officers, received responses and discussed matters as summarised below:

• £40m Government funding allocation – funding released following a stage-by-stage process. Each stage needed to be achieved and evidenced before further funding applications could be made.
• £40m was for the 1st round, issued for 2022-2027, and the 2^nd round, currently being worked on, would be for 2027-2032.
• Scheme first began in 2016 – delayed due to COVID pandemic. The Authority was now on target with the Programme.
• Commerciality – track and vehicle patented. Propose to market in the future, nationally and internationally. Would generate revenue for the Authority.
• Stake in intellectual properties – the Local Authority had the majority stake of 85% and TfWM had 15% stake. The Authority had a good working relationship with TfWM.
• Light rail compared to very light rail – VLR was half the vehicle weight of LR Vehicle per linear metre.
• Passenger no.s - 56 people carried on VLR vehicle with passenger stops expected to be similar to West Midlands Travel bus stops.
• Track – would be double track, running with other traffic in places and would work with conventional systems – compatible with other tracks.
• Autonomy – technology developed; however, legislation was slow but progressing.
• Prototype vehicle won’t be ‘kitted out’ to be autonomous. Next Generation Vehicle would be autonomous.
• Track test site at Warwick University – redundant car park used to test the laying of the track.
• The Council’s Whitley Depot - 40 metres of track laid at Depot – 44 HGVs had been over that track at the Depot to ensure it could take the weight without being adversely impacted. 1m tonnes had now been over the track and the slabbing performed beyond expectations.
• VLRNIC at Dudley - loop track used to test vehicle on track. A milestone test that proved the Authority could deliver.
• Fast track installation – estimated 2–3-week installation that would limit disturbance whilst the highway was taken up and the track laid which was an important factor in a busy City Centre.
• City Centre Demonstrator – The track would be installed from the Coventry Railway Station to the former Ikea building, Croft Road – Part 1 anticipated to begin in December 2024 and be completed by March 2025 and Part 2 anticipated to be installed by end of 2025.
• The evidence from City Centre Demonstrator would support future business case submissions.
• Track Installation – Risk Based approach taken. No track installation over a major water supply to minimise risk however, modern piping needed far less work.
• Would work with utilities to ensure the programme for installation didn’t impact adversely on any programmed work they may have.
• Fuel source – work undertaken around batteries. Electrification was big for Coventry. Hydrogen could be considered in the future. Options open.
• VLR line to the Hospital from the City Centre – a favoured route option that would be considered in the future along with ensuring that areas that were growing and needed serving on the outskirts of the city, were also included.

Members requested that in respect of the commerciality of the system, a summary of the anticipated revenue for the track and the VLR vehicle, be circulated to them.

The Board thanked officers for their informative presentation and briefing and indicated their full support for this exciting Project.

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) notes the content of the briefing note and presentation and the progress with the delivery of the Coventry Very Light Rail Programme, including the next steps on the Project.