22 - 26 June 2026: Find out more
BUILD YOUR OWN
RESOURCE LIBRARY
Podcasts
Cities Thriving on Lighting, Episode 2 – Simplicity by design in smart lightingSponsored by Paradox Engineering
Cities Thriving on Lighting, Episode 1 – Lighting as the backbone of the smart citySponsored by Paradox Engineering
Opinions
Transforming indoor public safety with smart sensor networksSponsored by Motorola Solutions
Coventry’s Very Light Rail tests new approach to track laying
As well as developing a zero emission, battery-powered vehicle, the team has created a much thinner track than that used in existing light rail systems.
The UK city of Coventry has completed construction of a test site for its Very Light Rail service.
Alongside a zero emission, battery-powered vehicle, the Coventry Very Light Rail project has developed a new track which is much thinner than tracks used in existing light rail systems.
Monitoring sensors
The thinness of the track means it can be laid just 30cm deep into the surface of the road, reducing the need to divert pipes and cables, which can add significant cost and time delays to light rail projects. A short section of track has been completed at the council’s Whitley Depot facility and its performance will be measured under extreme conditions.
Vibration sensors that take measurements 10 times a second have been installed at locations along the track, and weight-in-motion sensors will weigh vehicles while they move across the track.
“Transport innovation has the opportunity to really support a zero carbon economy and Coventry is leading the green industrial revolution”
This data will be collected for a year and fed into a digital twin computer model, allowing the Council’s innovation partners, WMG at the University of Warwick, to evaluate the performance of the track over time.
“The tracks we’ve installed here at Whitley Depot represent hundreds of hours of innovation that have taken place right here in Coventry,” said councillor Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change.
Read More
“They were designed from day one to minimise disruption to people and businesses, and we’re excited to see their strength demonstrated in a real-world environment. Our own council road team laid them too – which is great and supports our aim of ensuring CVLR creates and safeguards jobs in our city.”
The Whitley Depot track test site is part of a comprehensive range of testing planned to demonstrate the longevity of this track. A length of track has been laid at the University of Warwick to test installation. The track will soon be installed at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley to test the Coventry Very Light Rail vehicle on the track for the first time.
O’Boyle added: “Transport innovation has the opportunity to really support a zero carbon economy and Coventry is leading the green industrial revolution. Not only will we be the UK’s first all-electric bus city, we have already installed more electric vehicle charge points than anywhere outside London, and we’re investing in new fully segregated cycleways to give more people greener options to move about our city.”
Why not try these links to see what our SmartCitiesWorld AI can tell you.
(Please note this is an experimental service)
How does the thinner track reduce installation costs and time delays?What role do vibration sensors play in monitoring track performance?How is the digital twin model used to evaluate track longevity?In what ways does the Very Light Rail support Coventry’s zero carbon goals?How does the shallow track depth minimize disruption to existing utilities?
Latest City Profile
Latest Urban Exchange Podcast
Latest Special Report
SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)
You may also like these related articles...
BECOME A MEMBER
© 2026 SmartCitiesWorld
Smart Cities World Ltd, 37 Lombard Street, London, EC3V 9BQ