UKTram attends Clean Futures Innovation Circuit Demonstration Day in Coventry

UKTram attended the Clean Futures Innovation Circuit Demonstration Day on 19th February 2026, held at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering in Coventry. The Clean Futures Innovation Circuit for the West Midlands supports SMEs in developing new ideas by providing funding alongside opportunities to make connections with potential customers.

Image credit: coventry.ac.uk

The demonstration day formed part of a wider series of events, with this year marking the third cohort of the programme and showcased a range of emerging ideas and technologies, including: 

• Enhanced battery technology 

• High-grade aluminium recovery from scrap  

• Water harvesting solutions for dry environments.
  

Additional further innovations within the programme include: 

•  Water management material made from recycled bus tyres,  

• GPS and satellite-based asset and environmental risk monitoring  

• An AI-based real-time asset condition monitoring system. 

Such developments are now being explored further to understand their potential applications within the light rail sector. 

UKTram and Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) have been involved in the Clean Futures process for some time, as members of the programme’s review board. The event provided insight into how early-stage innovation is being developed and supported within the UK, particularly within the West Midlands.

This approach aligns closely with UKTram’s wider strategic focus on innovation and collaboration, supporting the development of safe and sustainable light rail systems.

UKTram Stakeholder and Innovation Manager Tim Bilby, reflected: 

“It was great to see examples of idea generation and leading-edge technology being created in the UK, particularly in the West Midlands. As new ideas and developments are introduced, you immediately start thinking about how they could be applied within light rail. "Several potential applications have already been identified, and discussions are now progressing to assess opportunities for trial or full implementation. UKTram’s collaborative Working Groups provide an effective way to share any successes, helping the benefits to be quickly multiplied across the sector.”