West Midlands Mayor Andy Street says his new £16billion transport vison for the region includes cutting-edge ideas that will put the city at the forefront of transport technology.
As part of his plans Mr Street, who serves as the current Mayor of the West Midlands, wants to open eight new Metro lines and 21 new rail stations across the West Midlands by 2040.
On the Metro, Andy wants to build over 150 miles of new lines and around 380 new stops, and, in addition to the trams running on roads and on rail lines, he wants to have sections of the line running underground, using ‘cut and cover’ tunnelling to allow traffic to drive above the Metro line where there is not enough space on narrower roads.
Mr Street said: “The transport innovations I have outlined for Coventry are cutting-edge ideas that will put the city at the forefront of transport technology.
“Not only are we aiming to introduce a Very Light Rail system – which could be run underground where necessary – but we’re also looking at tapping into the city’s expertise to build autonomous pods into the network.
“For too long we have been left behind London and Manchester, and other cities around the world. We are a world-class city region and we deserve a world-class Metro and rail network.
“In recent years we have made great progress, with our work to establish cross-Coventry rail services from Nuneaton to Leamington, for instance.
“But now is time for the next stage of ambition. This plan will connect communities which haven’t had Metro or rail lines for decades, and restore pride in the West Midlands.”
To illustrate the ambition behind his plan, Mr Street has produced a Tube-style map showing all of the new lines, stops and services.
In Coventry the new Godiva line, will utilise Very Light Railway technology to create a new line for the city. Where the roads are narrow, the lines could be built underground using the 'cut and cover' approach seen in New York.
The Godiva Line will also link back to the HS2 interchange, giving Coventry commuters access to the wider network and beyond.
The Coventry plans also include the use of autonomous pods between Tile Hill and the University of Warwick.
Finally, the plans also include four new railway stations for Coventry: Coundon Road, Foleshill, Binley and Coventry South.
