European Frontier: Will the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre Be Suspended Indefinitely?

On July 1, 2025, the operator of the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley entered the supervision and management process of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP, facing an uncertain future with no public recovery plan shared so far, arousing deep concerns among project participants.

As a strategic facility under the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, the centre once supported the R&D and testing of the Coventry Very Light Rail (VLR) project, known for promoting low-cost, low-carbon light rail development to transform UK urban transport. Currently, without clear guidelines, dozens of innovation projects may be suspended indefinitely. Though the Coventry VLR project continues off-site, the centre's future remains unclear, with no statements from relevant parties on plans. Its Revolution VLR solution integrates lightweight technology and cost-effectiveness, deployable quickly on LiteLine infrastructure with less environmental disruption.