TRAM & LIGHT RAIL

The Revolutionary Potential of VLR

Pre Metro’s Charlie Merrell on how Very Light Rail could assist with the restoration of railway patronage and enable increased connectivity across the county

Very Light Rail (VLR) has recently become the subject of increasing interest and speculation across the nation due to the progress of several key projects, including the Revolution VLR and Coventry VLR. This is primarily due to the untapped potential of this mode of transport as a sustainable solution to the nation’s various connectivity needs, alongside its capability to create an exportable light rail industry within Britain.

Very Light Rail could become the lowcost solution that can help to supplement existing railways, sustain less-effective modes, and support the delivery of endto-end journeys. The Stourbridge Shuttle operation ought to be seen as the first example of this: whilst it might have been seen as a speculative project by some within the industry, the service has developed across the past decade and proved to be one of the UK’s most reliable railway operations, with over 6.5 million passenger journeys to date and an average 99.6 per cent PPM.

The service has become ever popular as it enables commuters at Stourbridge Junction to conveniently access other forms of public transport, such as the local bus service, providing passengers with a cohesive, lightweight link to the town centre. It has not only demonstrated that high-frequency light rail services can be achieved on railway Branch Lines, but it can be done affordably and sustainably, with the Shuttle producing less CO2 emissions per annum than most family cars.

Despite this success story, the industry has failed to utilise light rail to its fullest potential. The main issue has been that most current rail solutions are unaffordable and commercially unsustainable despite the many urbanised growth and environmental advantages of the railway. These advantages include the encouragement of commercial and residential developments nearby new railway routes; the increase in productivity and regional economic growth in rural areas; and the reduction in transport congestion that will have a positive effect on the national economy.

With technological advancements ready to enable the next generation of VLR projects, the light and heavy railway sectors must collectively support this exciting form of transport and enable it to achieve its maximum potential.

The Revolution VLR (RVLR), developed by Transport Design International (TDi) and Eversholt Rail, is a sustainable, lightweight system which provides a modern, attractive, and cost-effective solution for rural-to-urban connectivity, able to support the provision of new and improved railway services on Branch Lines across the UK.

Utilising a fully electric fast-charging battery mode with a diesel-battery system, these hybrid power packs also reduce energy consumption by allowing the trains to run fully electric at low speeds.

The introduction of this vehicle to disused and mothballed Branch Lines would assist the industry with patronage restoration and encourage greater connectivity to other heavy rail services. One key area to explore the use of such a VLR system would be along the Walsall to Lichfield Branch Line.

Many people consider the reopening of the Walsall to Lichfield Branch as a ‘quick win’ with regards to enhancing public transport within the Midlands, particularly with the potential connection to HS2 at Lichfield. Local Transport Authorities would like to restore heavy rail services between these two locations, but cost constraints currently prevent this from being achieved.

Pre Metro believes that a Very Light Rail system could be installed on this line in a cost-efficient manner, enabling passengers to travel from Walsall, Pelsall or Brownhills, to nearby Lichfield and beyond.

The line could also be extended to serve the National Arboretum at Alrewas and Burton-upon-Trent in due course. Passenger demand may well be extremely high on this line, and we anticipate further potential developments along this corridor, emphasising the need for a sustainable travel solution.

With the CRSTS already facing budgetary constraints due to the growing complexity of the 2040 West Midlands Metro and Rail Plan, introducing a much cheaper VLR solution; one that could be converted to Heavy Rail based train services when demand and revenue permit, would help to support any bids for funding from the scheme.

By adopting this approach, passengers could have access to reliable and sustainable services in the short term as opposed to having no service until the available funds or the regional needs dictate, likely at a much later date. This could be particularly useful when understanding the demands of the route surrounding the National Memorial Arboretum.

According to a Transport for Britain survey from 2021, 97.8 per cent of locals are in favour of restoring a passenger train service between Lichfield and Alrewas; this proposal almost demands an immediate solution, one that VLR could provide.

In terms of improving urban connectivity, the Coventry VLR (CVLR) scheme pursued by the Local Council demonstrates revolutionary potential both as a mode of light rail transport and as an affordable framework for future tramway developments in small and medium-sized towns and cities.

The vehicle itself is four tonnes per axle; eleven metres long; visually appealing and built to be capable of tight 15 metre turns. The system will employ overhead battery charging from the railway station that can last the entirety of the route to utilise the zero-emission electric battery with regenerative braking.

The scheme aims to bring the benefit of accessibility to areas which have a higher

unemployment rate than the rest of the region, whilst also accessing key commercial areas and educational institutions, with the first of four routes scheduled to open in 2027.

Whilst the vehicle is ground-breaking, the core development which creates an affordable framework for future tramway developments is the novel test track under development for this project.

On average, the cost of tramways per km is estimated between £30 million – £60 million, so new systems often aren’t feasible or affordable for many towns and cities. These costs are often higher, for example, with the Edinburgh Trams project costing £71 million per kilometre.

The new track, still under testing, aims to be an affordable £10-15 million per kilometre. With the novel CVLR track only penetrating 30cm below the surface of the road, it does not reach the level of utilities. The use of very lightweight, battery-powered vehicles and removal of overhead catenary also remove the risk of stray currents and rail-insulation affecting any utilities underground.

This transforms projects from complex feats of engineering, where utilities are removed, rebuild, or redirected; into streamlined projects involving the removal and reinstallation of a road with track form. This enables substantial savings in terms of track build and, if it achieves this aim, it will enable many more tram systems to be established across the nation.

During the VLR National Conference in June, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, Baroness Vere, expressed how the attractiveness of this VLR would grow with the successful integration of new systems; the potential low-build cost of novel CLVR track; and the economic sustainability of new vehicles.

Both RVLR and CVLR are landmark projects that can kickstart a light rail revolution, leading to new transport solutions being considered and funded by local councils that utilise disused branch lines or new developments.

Alongside this is our belief that new VLR developments will enable British manufacturing to thrive and take up its role as a world leader within Light Rail, leading to more jobs across the regions and giving people a newer, greener, and cleaner form of public transport.

With new facilities such as the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) hoping to establish a marketplace for resources, skills and technologies that can support the growth of an internal market for further innovations and assist with the establishment of new systems; one can imagine that this could also open a huge international market for VLR.

As we await continued developments within the industry, Pre Metro will continue its work with local authorities, transport franchises, and investors who want to see Very Light Rail thrive alongside other modes of public transport whilst accumulating the necessary mileage as test drivers of CVLR and RVLR.

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