The company behind the glider on display in Liverpool has filed for bankruptcy days after plans for the city were shared

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is evaluating potential manufacturers for its gliders

The company behind the ‘glider’ tested in Liverpool last week went into receivership earlier this year, meaning the vehicles 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 on loan from Belfast and sported the yellow livery of Merseytravel, with a view to introducing a new ‘rapid transport system’ to our region by 2028.

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

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

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

Plans for the construction of gliders, initially dubbed trackless trams, in the city region were first reported by the ECHO on March 31 this year, as Rotheram was campaigning for re-election as metropolitan mayor. However, Liverpool’s gliders are unlikely to be the same models as Belfast’s Van Hool vehicles.

Van Hool is a Belgian vehicle company that manufactures buses, coaches, trolleybuses and trailers. On 8 April 2024, the Belgian Commercial Court declared it bankrupt and in June the Dutch company VDL acquired part of its bus and coach business.

It is unclear whether Van Hool will continue to produce ExquiCity vehicles following the VDL acquisition. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is currently considering potential manufacturers of its gliders.

A spokesperson for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “Bringing the Glider from Belfast was just the first step in our aim to develop a rapid transit system for the Liverpool City Region. During last week’s tour we were able to use the vehicle as a way to engage with residents about the plans. It also gave us the opportunity to see how this type of articulated vehicle could perform on our region’s roads.

“Detailed work is still being undertaken to examine all aspects of introducing rapid transit and to deliver Mayor Rotheram’s commitments as quickly as possible, therefore all practical aspects including fleet specifications, potential manufacturers and infrastructure requirements are currently being reviewed and progress will be made over the coming months.”

ECHO has contacted Van Hool for comment on the future of the ExquiCity vehicle.