Company behind glider displayed in Liverpool went bankrupt days after plans shared for city

The company behind the 'glider' tested in Liverpool last week went bankrupt earlier this year, meaning the vehicles which will actually be used on the city's roads are likely to be different. The 18-metre Van Hool ExquiCity vehicle tested by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority last week was loaned from Belfast and decked out in the yellow livery of Merseytravel, with a view to introducing a new 'rapid transport system' to our region in 2028.

Belfast's gliders are Van Hool ExquiCity vehicles, which have been in service since September 2018. In Belfast, ExquiCity gliders runs on two separate lines using dedicated and mixed traffic lanes. They are also seen in Parma, Italy and Metz, France.

The borrowed glider was tested on roads around the region and was displayed in a number of locations. This included Liverpool FC's Anfield stadium, John Lennon Airport, Wirral's Seacombe Ferry Terminal, Mann Island in the city centre, St Helens town centre and Green Oaks Shopping Centre in Widnes.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram intends for a glider to run between Liverpool city centre and the airport - as well as to Anfield stadium and Everton's new home at Bramley-Moore Dock. They would run as express services with fewer stops to these destinations and would have some of their own dedicated road space.

Plans for gliders, initially referred to as trackless trams, in the city region were first reported by the ECHO on March 31 of this year, as Mr Rotheram campaigned for re-election as Metro Mayor. However, Liverpool's gliders will likely not be the same models as Belfast's Van Hool vehicles.

Van Hool is a Belgian vehicle company, which constructs buses, coaches, trolleybuses, and trailers. It was declared bankrupt by Belgium's Commercial Court on April 8, 2024 and parts of its coach and bus business were acquired by Dutch company VDL in June.

It remains unclear whether Van Hool will continue to produce ExquiCity vehicles following the VDL takeover. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is reviewing potential manufacturers for its gliders.

A spokesperson for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: "Bringing the Glider over from Belfast was only a first step as we look to develop a rapid transit system for the Liverpool City Region. During last week’s roadshow we were able to use the vehicle as way of engaging with residents on the plans. It also provided us with an opportunity to look at how this kind of articulated vehicle might operate on our region’s roads.

"Detailed work is still being undertaken to look at all aspects of introducing rapid transit and delivering on Mayor Rotheram’s commitments as quickly as possible - as such all practical aspects, including fleet specification, potential manufacturers and infrastructure requirements are currently under review and will be progressed in the coming months."

The ECHO has approached Van Hool for comment about the future of the ExquiCity vehicle.