TRL Limited (TRL) is a UK-based transport research and consultancy organization, established over 80 years ago, recognized as one of the largest and most comprehensive transport centers globally. It operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Transport Research Foundation, a non-profit scientific research organization. TRL employs over 250 technical professionals, including engineers, scientists, psychologists, software developers, and statisticians, with an annual turnover exceeding £30 million. The firm provides technical consultancy, research, and development services across various transport sectors, including highway design, road safety, traffic management, transport planning, sustainable transport, intelligent transport systems, rail, cycling, motorsports, connected and autonomous vehicles, and smart mobility.
TRL’s lobbying activities focus primarily on supporting the European Commission’s DG GROW on regulatory updates related to vehicle safety (General Safety and Pedestrian Safety Regulations), L-category vehicles, access to vehicle data, repair and maintenance information (RMI) technical requirements, and EU policymaking on pollutant emissions from vehicles. The firm also engages in studies and legislative updates on crash pulses, driver monitoring systems, heavy vehicle test protocols, personal mobility devices, and road safety risks associated with new vehicle categories.
TRL Limited has been registered in the EU Transparency Register since March 30, 2015. It employs approximately 7.75 full-time equivalent lobbyists, with a total of 23 lobbyists declared over time. The firm does not have lobbyists accredited with the European Parliament. TRL is a member of several transport-related European networks, including the Association for European Transport, the European Conference of Transport Research Institutes (ECTRI), the Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL), and the Forum of European Road Safety Research Institutes (FERSI).
Financially, TRL Limited reported lobbying expenditures of approximately €1,125,000 for the fiscal year July 2019 to June 2020. Their financial outlays support various EU-funded projects and studies related to transport safety and regulatory compliance.
TRL Limited operates within the framework of the EU Transparency Register, which is a voluntary system designed to enhance transparency and accountability in EU lobbying activities. The register facilitates public scrutiny of interest representatives influencing EU policy and decision-making processes.
