Coventry Very Light Rail track - Print version

Coventry Very Light Rail - Universal Track

The Coventry Very Light Rail track - Universal Track - has been designed to lower the installation cost of urban light rail in Coventry and other medium to smaller-sized cities. This means more places could be able to provide light rail tram systems, providing better public transport.

Keeping utilities in the ground

Most light rail systems require deep concrete foundations and excavation to around 600mm or more. This means there is a high cost to diverting utilities, such as pipes and cables, which can also cause delays.

These increased installation costs often make it unaffordable for smaller cities like Coventry to install light rail.

The Universal Track is designed to allow many utilities to remain in place. Because its slab is made from ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), it can be thin while remaining strong enough to support both light rail trams and heavy goods vehicles.

It also retains its strength when space is allowed in the slab for manholes, maintaining access for utilities companies when needed.

Easy installation and manufacture

The Universal Track has been designed to be easier to install and manufacture than traditional track.

It is much thinner than traditional slabs, making it easier to lift into place and manoeuvre.

Because of its UHPC construction and thinness, it can be cut at an angle to create curves. This reduces the need for a custom slab, another time and money-saving feature.

Designed, manufactured, and tested in Britain

The Council has also taken a local-first approach to testing the performance of the track, using its own team to install the track at a test site located at Whitley Depot. This site will test the track’s performance under heavy goods vehicle load, and provide data for researchers to estimate the lifetime performance of the track.

Standard rail components, innovative construction

While the track slab is made from an innovative material, the rail and rail fittings are widely available and part of a well-known manufacturing supply chain. This reduces the cost of the track and means it could be compatible with other light rail systems.

The track’s standard construction means that Transport for the West Midlands will be trialling whether the Universal Track could be used in extensions to the West Midlands Metro.

Other rail systems

While the Universal Track has been designed alongside the CVLR vehicle, the two can could be used together or separately.

Testing has shown that Universal Track is capable of carrying conventional trams as well as very light vehicles and this is currently being trialled.