Roads unit to go under water?
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• The national centre for research into congestion, road construction and safety could be sold to a water company in the latest twist of the Government's privatisation programme.
The move has surprised staff at the Transport Research Laboratory, but Welsh Water denies that its interest in the 431m-turnover organisation is out of place.
The utility says any purchase would tie in with its 4130mturnover engineering and environmental consultancy, Acer Consultancy, which already has an interest in roads. The consultancy is currently waiting to learn whether it has won the Design, Build, Finance and Operate contract for the Ml-A1 Yorkshire link road.
TRL chief executive John Wootton, who is leading an inhouse bid, has questioned why an organisation which "is unable to please its own customers should wish to diversify into this field".
Former Transport Minister Peter Bottomley has criticised the sell-off, saying that the organisation has the highest integrity in the world.