Coventry’s Very Light Rail trial to run next summer

Coventry City Council’s cabinet looks set to approve the construction of an on-road test of its Very Light Rail track and electric vehicle.

Following successful trials of the track and vehicle at Dudley, the Council is planning to run the vehicle on 220m of track along Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road for four weeks during the summer of 2025.

The battery-powered vehicle and track system will offer cities the chance to install rapid passenger tram systems faster and at a much lower cost than traditional light rail systems.

It has been developed by a number of West Midlands organisations including Coventry City Council, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), WMG at the University of Warwick and the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, which runs the Dudley Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC).

The project is backed with funding from the £1.05bnn City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) awarded to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) by the Department for Transport. The CVLR project has been allocated £40m from that funding to progress the research and development to deliver an affordable integrated mass transit system that could be deployed in cities across the country.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration and climate change said: “The trial will allow us to showcase the technology in the city centre as well as testing the revolutionary track-laying system which can be installed without significant disruption to utilities such as gas and water pipes. This is a major step in our ongoing testing of Very Light Rail and it’s fantastic that we’re going to be able to demonstrate this innovation and prove, right here in our city centre, that it works.

“Very Light Rail is just one part of our wider ambition to decarbonise transport, tackle climate change and improve air quality and everything we are doing to be the country’s first Electric City”.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair said: “Connecting our communities through an expanded tram network is a key part of my vision for a more affordable and accessible transport system.

“Very Light Rail has the potential to deliver that faster and at a fraction of the usual cost, putting our region at the forefront of innovation. This demonstrator track shows just how close we are to making this cutting-edge technology a reality for the West Midlands.”

'Revolutionary' Coventry VLR transport system branded 'another road to nowhere'
Coventry's Very Light Rail (VLR) system will see a prototype vehicle hit the tracks this year, with bookings now open for residents to try out the new form of public transport

Coventry residents can now book a ride on the city's 'revolutionary' Very Light Rail (VLR) system. The tracks are currently being completed on Queen Victoria Road, with RailAdventure UK recently announced as the project's operator. Coventry Live readers are sceptical as to how useful the project will be.

The VLR will run along a 220-metre demonstration track between Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road for four weeks between May and the end of June. The prototype vehicle can accommodate up to 17 seated passengers, plus space for a wheelchair or pushchair user, once fully operational, the battery-powered vehicle will hold 60 passengers, both seated and standing.

The Coventry Very Light Rail project has been funded by the WMCA City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement.

Councillor O'Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration, and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, described the VLR as an 'innovative' transport system similar to a tram but more 'flexible and affordable. ' He hopes the £189m project will reduce congestion and improve air quality in Coventry.

Tech company behind Coventry's Very Light Rail system enters administration

Coventry's fledgling Very Light Rail scheme has hit a major stumbling block this week. The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), which operate the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre has entered administration.

A seemingly successful trial run was generally well received recently after a 220-metre test track was constructed in the city centre to evaluate the innovative tram system in a real-world setting, with free rides being offered to hundreds of locals.

The next phase of the plan will see the scheme extended around the city, connecting different parts of Coventry via tram for the first time since World War Two.

But with Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, the brains behind the plan, facing an uncertain future, it is not known at this point how things will progress. We've approached Coventry City Council for more information.

BCIMO's website states: "On 1 July 2025, Deviesh Raikundalia and Tyrone Courtman, both of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP, were appointed Joint Administrators of the Company.

"Deviesh Raikundalia and Tyrone Courtman are both licensed to act as Insolvency Practitioners in the UK by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Insolvency Practitioners are bound by the Insolvency Code of Ethics when carrying out all professional work relating to an insolvency appointment.

"Please note that Joint Administrators act as agents of the Companies.

"The affairs, business and property of the Companies are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability."

Coventry's new light rail system to be showcased at national conference this week
CVLR will be demonstrated at the UK Light Rail Conference in Leeds

Coventry's Very Light Rail (CVLR) system will be showcased at a national conference this week.

It will be shown at the two-day UK Light Rail Conference in Leeds, which begins tomorrow (July 22).

CVLR is designed to create an affordable rail-based travel system, delivered at half the cost and half the time of normal light rail systems.

The conference will include more than 50 expert speakers from manufacturers to operators, with the event solely based on light rail advancements.

Coventry will demonstrate the CVLR on Wednesday, July 23, with its first on-road test installation and operation.

The CVLR team will also participate in a panel discussion to demonstrate the project's innovation and expertise.


Coventry City Council says the key innovations that set CVLR apart are its vehicle design, which allows for installation in tight corners within the existing highway, ultra-thin track technology, and sustainable impact, as the system will help improve air quality, reduce congestion, and support housing development.

The recent on-road testing phase in the city centre was completed within eight weeks, during which more than 8,000 members of the public experienced the rides first-hand and provided positive feedback.

Cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change, Councillor Jim O'Boyle, said: "Being invited to showcase Coventry's Very Light Rail at the UK's premier light rail conference is testament to the ground-breaking innovation we've achieved here in Coventry.

"The fact that we laid our 220-metre track in just eight weeks, faster than anywhere else in the world, demonstrates how CVLR can transform the way cities approach public transport infrastructure.

"Crucially, this isn't just a transport system; it's designed and built right here in Coventry, creating jobs and establishing a whole new industry for our city."

Work has started on the next phase, which will see an 800-metre section laid from the railway station to University Technology Park on Puma Way.

Company involved in Coventry Very Light Rail project saved from collapse
BCIMO had been involved in the Very Light Rail project which was recently trialled in Coventry

A West Midlands company involved in the Coventry Very Light Rail project has been purchased by Dudley Council after collapsing. Administrators were recently appointed for the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO).

Based in Dudley, BCIMO is a not-for-profit organisation that operates the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre. It had been heavily involved in the Coventry Very Light Rail project, which was recently trialled on Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road.

BCIMO opened in 2023 for around £32m but reportedly failed to secure further funding. Administrators Deviesh Raikundalia and Tyrone Courtman of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP were appointed on July 1.

As day-to-day operations continued, BCIMO searched for a new buyer and received a bid from Dudley Council. Bosses are now focusing on stabilising operations and revitalising research activities, RSM UK said.

Deviesh Raikundalia, Restructuring Advisory Director at RSM UK, said: “We are delighted to have secured a sale that ensures the continued operation of the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre and preserves its reputation as a leading innovation centre.”

He added: “We are grateful to the occupiers of the centre and stakeholders for their support, patience, and cooperation throughout the administration process, and we wish Dudley Council every success with this venture.”

Cllr Clark, Cabinet Member for Resources at Dudley Council, said: “Dudley Council has previously provided financial support to BCIMO, and so, when the board of directors put the organisation into administration, we made the decision to put in a bid for the business and assets to protect this investment. It was successful, and as the owner of the site, we will now be receiving income from the existing tenants while looking for an operator to take on the responsibility of operating the site.”

Councillor Jim O'Boyle, of Coventry City Council, previously said it was 'business as usual' for the CVLR project. Work is underway on an 800m section of track linking Coventry Railway Station to the Coventry University Technology Park on Puma Way.

Cllr O'Boyle said: “Following the really successful on-road trial in the city centre, the vehicle is now in Alcester for the next stage of development. While work is underway on the vehicle, work has also started on the next stage, which will see us lay an 800m section from Coventry Railway Station to Coventry University Technology Park on Puma Way. We expect to start constructing this longer section very soon.”