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

  • Benefits of bitumen technology research
    March 15, 2012
    Bitumen technology is benefiting from years of research and development - Kristina Smith. On a 2.7km loop of road in Auburn in Alabama, US, a lorry driver drives his triple-truck round and round. During his eight-hour shift, he will have covered 544km, with another driver waiting to take over from him for the next shift. Their mission is to seriously damage the road. This is the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), where sponsors from states and private companies pay to test out new materials and
    Read More
  • Traffic management drives sustainability
    June 18, 2012
    New initiatives could boost transport sustainability – David Crawford writes. New roles are opening up for urban traffic management systems in helping city authorities to meet increasingly stringent governmental and supra-governmental air quality standards. European local authorities are typically tasked with both traffic management and pollution monitoring within their areas, making them well placed to draw on the latter to mitigate the impacts of the former.
    Read More
  • Active travel can drive urban economic growth and save health funds
    November 7, 2012
    Experts in health, city planning, environment and transport from Europe and the United States, including several local authorities, stressed how active travel can drive urban economic growth and save public health funds during a recent prestigious workshop event in Brussels, Belgium. Integrating health aspects in transportation planning was the focus of The Polis Environment & Health working group meeting at the European Economic and Social committee on 30th October. The event gathered experts from organisa
    Read More
  • Webuild sees double-digit growth in H1
    July 28, 2025
    Construction group's growth 'greater than expected' with revenues up 22%
    Read More

Highlighted Content