A TEST site for the Coventry Very Light Rail (VLR) track system has been completed at the city council’s Whitley Depot facility, where it will be stress-tested by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
This short section of track will allow the VLR team to measure its performance under extreme conditions, with vibration sensors installed that take measurements 10 times a second.
Weight-in-motion sensors will weigh vehicles while they move across the track.
Data will be collected for a year and fed into a ‘digital twin’ computer model.
This will allow WMG at the University of Warwick to evaluate the track’s performance over time.
The Coventry VLR project has developed the new track to be much thinner than those used in existing light rail systems while being just as strong.
This thinner track means it can be laid 30cm deep into the road’s surface, reducing the need to divert pipes and cables, which can add significant cost and time delays.
The Whitley Depot track is part of a range of testing to demonstrate its longevity.
The council’s cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change, Coun Jim O’Boyle, said: “The tracks we’ve installed here at Whitley Depot represent hundreds of hours of innovation that have taken place right here in Coventry.
“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.
“Transport innovation has the opportunity to really support a zero carbon economy and Coventry is leading the green industrial revolution.”
