"Tube style transport plan for Coventry"

[dutchman]

The plans would see tram stops and new train stations across the city



Coventry could become home to a sprawling metro system.

Plans include 10 potential potential tram stops for the city plus two new train stations - one on the West Coast Mainline at Binley/Willenhall, and one at Coventry South on the Kenilworth line.

The bold £15 billion vision was announced by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street yesterday (February 4) as part of his 20 year vision for the region.

The plans are accompanied by a 'Tube-style map of the West Midlands', and showed how Coventry could be connected to the rest of the region in future.

His plans would see more than eight new Metro lines and 21 new rail stations opened across the region by 2040.

In addition to the trams running on roads and on rail lines, sections of the line could run underground.

Plans show they could use 'cut and cover' tunnelling to allow traffic to drive above the Metro line where there is not enough space on narrower roads.

He said the region had been left behind the likes of London and Manchester for too long, and these plans would "restore pride in the West Midlands".

As for the Coventry section, new technology such as ‘very light railway’ trams and driverless autonomous pods would be used to connect key sites such as the University of Warwick, Jaguar Land Rover, Ansty and the city centre.

The total cost of these plans would be around £15 billion, or around £750 million per year for the next 20 years.

[rebbonk]

Street's off his trolley.

He's a dreamer who will simply waste our hard-earned money.

[dutchman]

It's just electioneering by Street, nothing will come of it. They couldn't even afford a new platform for Coventry station.

[dutchman]

New stations 'could be ready in four years'

Three new railway stations could open in Coventry within four years, the Mayor of the West Midlands has said.

Bids have been put in to the government, asking them to look at the case for building new stations in Foleshill, Coundon and Willenhall and Andy Street said all three areas need better public transport.

Based on experiences of bidding for stations elsewhere, Mr Street said: "It takes about three years for the full process to make the case, get the agreements from network rail, get the funding in place."

He said building the station could take another year and he hoped the whole process might be quicker, but four years was a "realistic target".