Skip to main content

TRL acquires Transport & Travel Research

TRL has announced the acquisition of Transport & Travel Research (TTR) making it a wholly owned subsidiary of TRL. A minority shareholder in TTR since 2010, TRL has stated that TTR will continue to operate as an independent organisation. TTR’s chairman, David Blackledge, has stepped down from the Board to take on a role as Special Advisor, while TRL's chief executive, Rob Wallis, is appointed chairman of TTR (in addition to his other group company responsibilities) with immediate effect. All other operat
April 15, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
777 TRL has announced the acquisition of Transport & Travel Research (TTR) making it a wholly owned subsidiary of TRL.  

A minority shareholder in TTR since 2010, TRL has stated that TTR will continue to operate as an independent organisation. TTR’s chairman, David Blackledge, has stepped down from the Board to take on a role as Special Advisor, while TRL's chief executive, Rob Wallis, is appointed chairman of TTR (in addition to his other group company responsibilities) with immediate effect. All other operational and management functions and activities of TTR remain unchanged. Blackledge will particularly focus on the continuing opportunities for TTR within EU markets.

This acquisition has been welcomed by both organisations and will further enhance their strategic market opportunities. During the past few years there has been increasing evidence of the value of the partnership to their respective clients, with the bringing together and strengthening of teams in a range of specialist transport areas. It has also facilitated the broadening of both TRL and TTR’s capabilities in both UK and wider international markets.

The two organisations share strong track records working in UK Government, European and other international markets in fields such as sustainable transport, low carbon vehicles, air quality and low emission strategies and freight policy and efficiency.  Joint teams have worked in a number of high profile projects in the UK, including 2387 Transport for London’s trials for ‘Out of Hours Delivery Services’ prior to the 2012 Olympics, and their major programme of Safer Cycling Innovation trials in 2013. From an international perspective, TRL, supported by key experts from TTR, has secured a contract from the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi to undertake the ‘Abu Dhabi Low Emission Zone – Feasibility and Design Study’.

Wallis said, “TRL is increasingly asked by clients for its thought-leading research and innovative, evidence-based solutions across many sectors of transport, automotive and motor sport. This acquisition strengthens TRL's market proposition in some core areas of its growth strategy, including certification and assurance services. This is an exciting step in the evolution of the two organisations, allowing further investment in expertise to deliver greater value to clients.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Tensar International to open new plant in Russia by January 2014
    November 20, 2012
    Tensar International is building a manufacturing plant in Russia. Tensar is the majority shareholder in the joint venture, with remaining investment coming from Russian partners. Don Meltzer, chief executive of US parent company, Tensar Corporation; and Bob Vevoda, chief operating officer and president of Tensar International; met with their Russian JV partners in London earlier this month to finalise the funding and construction schedule.
  • Highways Agency appoint non-executive director
    November 22, 2012
    Simon Murray has been appointed a non-executive director of the UK’s Highways Agency. A civil engineer with extensive experience across the transport and infrastructure sectors, Murray has worked for Ove Arup consulting engineers, as a development director for BAA, and at Railtrack as the director of major projects and investment. In his new role, Murray will sit on the Highways Agency Board, taking over the position left by Tracy Barlow whose appointment with the Agency ended in late July this year. Murray
  • ARTBA forming commission to address transport safety
    October 14, 2016
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is forming an independent commission to help implement the new, industry-developed “Safety Certification for Transportation Project Professionals (SCTPP) programme. The SCTPP Commission will be led by the chief executive officers of two of the largest transportation construction firms in the United States. Both are passionate safety advocates. David Walls, president & CEO of Austin Industries, based in Dallas, Texas, and Ross Myers, chairma
  • A new event is preparing the asphalt industry for tomorrow’s world
    September 11, 2018
    An inaugural event for the European bitumen industry urged attendees to look to the future - Kristina Smith reports What will tomorrow’s roads look like? Will lanes be narrower, will the road charge vehicles as they drive on them, will they collect data, will they be self-cleaning and de-polluting? All these questions and more were pondered at a two-day conference in Berlin, entitled ‘Preparing the asphalt industry for the future’. It was the first such event for Eurasphalt & Eurobitume (E&E), and set a