Latest news with #CoventryAirport
Metro
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Metro
Inside UK's new £189,000,000 revolutionary ‘very light' transport system
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The motor capital of the UK has received a transport makeover – and it's already going to be expanded. Coventry has spearheaded the Very Light Rail network, which has been described as being like a tram, but better. The vehicles, which can carry 60 passengers, are cheaper and more flexible than traditional railways, and passengers started using the vehicles last month. But it's now been announced that the project, currently in use on two streets in the city centre, is set to be expanded to six new areas. The Department for Transport has released £12million to expand the project into 'growth areas' across the city, including the Coventry Gigafactory at Coventry Airport. Speaking to CoventryLive, Cllr Jim O'Boyle said: 'Coventry passengers deserve a choice of how they travel around our city. 'Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, all of those have choice, so we should have that choice as well.' The transport system, currently in place along Queen Victoria Road and Greyfriars Road, could also expand to Coventry Railway Station, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Antsy Park, the University of Warwick, and Coventry University. The expansion should be completed by the end of next year, and it's hoped this will bring new jobs to the city centre. Local father and son Graham and Joe Dibbins are train drivers at RailAdventure UK and were among the first to drive the new vehicles. Graham said: 'It's an extraordinary feeling to be involved in such an innovative project and at the same time to be working with my son for the first time in a professional capacity as train drivers.' Joe added: 'It seems unbelievable that I am working with the one person I respect more than anyone else – my dad. The fact that Coventry Very Light Rail is so technologically advanced is simply the icing on the cake.' Cllr O'Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change at the city council, said the 'green' CVLR system will 'revolutionise transport in Coventry.' He said: 'Very Light Rail is just the beginning of our plans to revolutionise transport in our city, tackle climate change, improve air quality, and provide a reliable and accessible travel option.' The cost of construction is the first thing that sets it apart from traditional trams. The estimated cost per kilometre (0.6 miles) is £10million, compared to £30million for the same distance for tram tracks. The new track sits just under 11 inches (30cm) within the road surface, minimising expensive and time-consuming works to relocate pipes and cables. The VLR system is powered by batteries, meaning that, unlike trams, there is no need for overhead wires. The electric, very light rail system has been touted as a way to bring disused railway lines back into action. There are no definite plans to build ultra-light rail systems in London, but TfL and the London Assembly have discussed and reviewed the option over the years. Major rail operators are said to have shown interest in the very light rail systems, and further trials are planned to start in 2026. In London, the closest to the new train system is the tram network, which still runs across the southern boroughs. The history of London trams goes back to more than 200 years, but there were times it almost disappeared for good. The very light rail bears some similarity to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), a driverless train operating in London since the 1980s on a 24-mile track. DLR is a light metro train, which uses purpose-built tracks, which run mostly outdoors, connecting Canary Wharf, the City, Stratford, Lewisham and Woolwich. Whereas very light rail uses batteries, the DLR gets its power from a bottom-contact third rail system underneath the train. Self-driving vehicles are expected to be on the UK roads by 2026, the government has said, opening the door for more autonomous rail systems. More Trending The Coventry very light rail has been developed to allow autonomous operation in the future. Pedestrians, cyclists and disabled passengers will have 'sufficient provision' on the new routes when they open, the council confirmed. A version of this article was first published on May 7, 2025 Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Inside the new £2,500,000,000 Leeds tram system with airport connection MORE: Donald Trump's travel ban doesn't make sense – here's why MORE: Double decker bus roof ripped off after crashing into railway bridge in South Norwood
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
WWII Spitfire plane crash lands in Kent field ahead of VE Day events
A rare Second World War-era Spitfire was forced to crash-land in a field in West Hythe on Saturday evening, just hours before VE Day commemorations were set to begin across the UK. The vintage aircraft, a two-seater Spitfire MJ627, made what its operator described as a 'precautionary landing' in a crop field on Lower Wall Road, narrowly avoiding catastrophe. Despite significant damage to the aircraft's propeller, the airframe remained intact, and both the pilot and passenger escaped unharmed. The aircraft is owned by Fly a Spitfire, a vintage flight experience company based in the UK. In a statement, the company confirmed: 'We have spoken to the pilot, who advised that a precautionary landing was made at a non-airfield site. The pilot and passenger are uninjured.' The aircraft lost power mid-flight, prompting the emergency descent. Emergency services, including Kent Fire and Rescue Service, were dispatched to the scene at 19:25 BST, deploying two fire engines to secure the area. One of the two occupants was treated at the scene by paramedics as a precaution. Fire crews left the site around 9pm. Spitfire MJ627 is no ordinary aircraft. It was delivered into service in September 1944, and famously shot down a Messerschmitt Me 109 just two days later during Operation Market Garden over Arnhem. The aircraft has since become a living piece of aviation history, appearing in airshows and offering passenger flights. This is not the first emergency for MJ627. In 1998, it made a 'wheels-up landing' at Coventry Airport, and in 2024, its cockpit canopy detached during take-off from Biggin Hill — though both incidents resulted in safe landings and no injuries. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched an inquiry into Saturday's incident to determine the exact cause of the power failure.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WW2 Spitfire makes emergency landing in field
A World War Two Spitfire has been forced to make an emergency landing in Kent. Spitfire MJ627 came down in a field on Lower Wall Road, West Hythe, on Saturday evening, said its owner Fly a Spitfire. Kent Fire & Rescue Service said one of the two people in the plane, which saw action over the Netherlands in 1944, was treated by paramedics. Fly a Spitfire said: "We have spoken to the pilot who has advised that a precautionary landing was made at a non-airfield site." The company said the pilot and passenger "are uninjured", adding that it had no further information "at this stage". The fire service said two fire engines attended the scene at 19:25 BST and made the aircraft safe. Spitfire MJ627 first entered service on 25 September 1944 and, just two days later, destroyed Messerschmitt Me 109 over Arnhem. It was previously involved in an emergency landing in 1998, when its pilot made a "wheels up landing" at Coventry Airport. Last year, the cockpit canopy detached from the plane during take-off from Biggin Hill Airport. It was able to land safely and neither of the two occupants in that incident were harmed. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Restored 1930s plane to be displayed in cathedral Charity reunites WW2 bible with airman's family Kent Fire & Rescue Service
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Funding for major West Midlands projects allocated and it will bring 'real change'
Two key West Midlands sites aimed at creating thousands of new jobs have had funding allocated to get them off the ground. The £16 million cash, part of the West Midlands Investment Zone, will help establish Birmingham Knowledge Quarter and Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor as employment hubs for advanced manufacturing, green industries, health-tech and digital technologies. As well as bringing in billions in investment, the projects will eventually create more than 23,000 jobs. READ MORE: Work to fix mould-infested social homes almost complete as mum tells of 'really bad' conditions Early-stage preparations will now begin as part of a long-term plan that will use the funding to clean up land and make significant improvements to infrastructure to help attract investors and businesses looking to relocate. This is the second major Investment Zone announcement following confirmation last month of £23 million to help deliver a battery manufacturing and technology hub at the Coventry and Warwick Gigapark, another Investment Zone site. Mayor Richard Parker said: "Our Investment Zone has the potential to deliver £5.5 billion of investment and create 30,000 jobs in the region. "It is essential that we develop these sites, attracting investors and growing industries, to reignite the economic growth this region has long been waiting for. "In less than a year I've secured £40 million to get these sites out of the starting blocks. "That's how I'm driving our economy to the next level and bringing real and lasting change for people living right across the West Midlands." The three Investment Zone sites will each benefit from a range of direct funding secured by the Mayor and in some cases tax incentives. In addition to the new jobs and investment, around £1.5 billion of business rates over the zone's 25-year lifespan will also be retained and reinvested in the region instead of going back into government coffers. Birmingham Knowledge Quarter runs northeast from the Birmingham City and Aston universities through Duddeston and Nechells to Aston. The Quarter will offer tax incentives, business rates retention and receive £9m investment for public realm works and active travel infrastructure to help attract investment. The Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor will create new green industries and skills through a partnership between the city council and university with £7m investment for land remediation and key infrastructure. The Coventry-Warwick Gigapark at Coventry Airport. Anchored by a new battery gigafactory and associated businesses and technologies, the site will get tax incentives, business rates retention and £23m investment for land remediation, infrastructure and connection to power grids. Councillor Sharon Thompson, deputy leader at Birmingham City Council, said: "The Knowledge Quarter will be a world-class, city-centre innovation cluster focused on science, technology and enterprise that will deliver an estimated 20,000 jobs and a 4,000 home 'eco-town' - with over a third of those homes being affordable. "This is great news for the city, and this part of Birmingham, providing much-needed investment, jobs, skills, homes and infrastructure." And Councillor Chris Burden, City of Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for city development, jobs and skills, said: "The Green Innovation Corridor will build on the city's strengths in high value manufacturing, green technologies, digital innovation, brownfield land regeneration and sustainable construction to create new, quality jobs and support businesses. "The West Midlands Investment Zone funding and status will help us deliver key sites in Wolverhampton and engage in region-wide business support, skills and recruitment programmes to ensure that local people benefit from the opportunities created."
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New DHL e-commerce hub in Coventry to create up to 600 jobs
Logistics firm DHL has announced a new state-of-the-art e-commerce hub will create up to 600 jobs. The new hub, which is located near to Coventry Airport, will be opened by the Department for Business and Trade minister Justin Madders on Thursday. The facility can handle up to a million parcels a day and is part of a wider £482m investment in the UK, the German firm added that the hub would help to "speed up delivery times" for UK consumers, and said the investment was "a major win" for Coventry's economy. Speaking ahead of the official opening, Madders said: "The West Midlands is a powerhouse for investment and this state-of-the-art hub will not only create hundreds of local jobs but give a major boost to our logistics sector."He added that investment from DHL was "the latest vote of confidence" in the government's commitment to "delivering economic growth and raising living standards".The CEO of DHL e-commerce UK, Stuart Hill, said the expansion would enable the firm to meet growing demand. "By increasing our capacity with a state-of-the-art operation, we're creating long-term jobs, growth opportunities for our customers and a blueprint for more sustainable logistics."Mr Hill added that the site had also "minimised" its environmental impact through the inclusion of EV charging points, solar panels and LED lighting. "This preserves the area's natural biodiversity supporting the government's ambitions to make the UK a clean energy superpower", he said. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
