King of the road

Prof Rod Kimber, director of science and engineering at the Transport Research Laboratory, is the man who oversees the transport technology that helps keep the UK on the road. Here, he talks to Niall Firth.

With its acres and chrome and its minimalist whitewashed walls, the Bracknell HQ of the Transport

Research Laboratory (TRL) looks more like a suitable venue for a slick media outfit than a venerable engineering institution. However, since its creation over 70 years ago, the ever-modern TRL has been at the cutting edge of transport- related technology.

Today, TRL is responsible for some 600–700 projects a year, developing technology for everything from road pricing systems to vehicle impact testing. The diverse nature of TRL’s research is reflected in the variety of its 550 employees, whose expertise ranges from engineering to psychology.

Prof Rod Kimber, TRL’s director of science and engineering, is the man charged with overseeing this extensive portfolio. Kimber is an influential voice in the UK transport industry who, in addition to his duties at TRL, is also technical director of the AA Foundation for Road Safety Research and a visiting professor at Imperial College.