Creating the infrastructure
Number 1 in the West Midlands for digital accessibility
Coventry is the top-ranked city in the West Midlands and comes eighth out of 379 locations in a report on full-fibre coverage throughout the UK.
The report by the telecoms regulator, Ofcom, ‘Connected Nations 2020' measures access to high quality internet connection to properties. Over half (54.7%) of properties in Coventry have access to full-fibre broadband, typically offering speeds of at least 300Mbps, and often up to gigabit speeds; far above the UK urban area average of 18%.
Improving transportation
Coventry railway station
The £131m Coventry and Warwickshire local growth fund allocation to Coventry in 2015-2021 has delivered major transport, skills, and cultural infrastructure schemes, including the Coventry Station Masterplan, Very Light Rail scheme, and infrastructure works and venue upgrades as part of preparations for City of Culture.
The £82m renovation of Coventry Train Station is nearing completion. The project includes a new station building, five retail units, and a new 633-space multi-storey car park.
Below: new railway station building and car park
Very light rail
Very light rail seeks to revolutionise affordable public transport in towns and cities. In May 2020, the project secured £1.5m funding to explore the creation of a low-cost trackform.
Below: very light rail vehicle prototype on the streets of Coventry
In March 2021, the Coventry City Council’s prototype Very Light Rail vehicle, which has the potential to transform how people move about the city, moved ready for real on track testing. The vehicle moved from NP Aerospace in the city for some static software testing before moving to a dedicated track at the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation in Dudley. The prototype vehicle completed a tour of Coventry after leaving the vehicle production site. It stopped outside the Co-op building and the Transport Museum so that the public could get a better view.