RAC Foundation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The RAC Foundation (The Royal Automobile Club Foundation for Motoring) is a registered charity.

It is a transport policy and research organisation that explores the economic, mobility, safety and environmental issues relating to roads and their users. It publishes independent and authoritative research with which it promotes informed debate and advocates policy in the interests of the responsible motorist.

It was established as a research arm of RAC Motoring Services Ltd in 1991, when Motoring Services was owned by the Royal Automobile Club. In 1999, when Motoring Services was sold by the Club, the Foundation became an independent organisation. It later gained charitable status.


History

The Foundation was formed in 1991.[1]

It became independent of RAC Motoring Services in 1999 and received a legacy from the members of the Royal Automobile who had sold RAC Motoring Services. It subsequently became a charity.[1]

Stephen Glaister was appointed director in April 2008.[2] He is also Emeritus Professor of Transport and Infrastructure at Imperial College London and was previously Partnership Director of Tube Lines. Previously he was also a board member of TfL and has worked for the Rail Regulator. He has advised government on numerous occasions.

David Quarmby was appointed chairman in July 2009. .[3] He is a consultant in transport, planning, economics and tourism. He was previously a non-executive director of NedRailways (UK) and a former director of Colin Buchanan and Partners. For 12 years he was a main board member of Sainsburys, first as logistics director and latterly as joint managing director.

Organisation

The Foundation has a board of six trustees with David Quarmby as its chair.[4]

A Public Policy Committee, also chaired by Quarmby, has an advisory body consisting of 14 members with transport experience, mainly drawn from academia, politics and business. The committee is consulted about research, strategy, major campaigns and future policy.[4]

Day to day activity is managed by Glaister and various permanent staff.[4]

Work

The Foundation’s research falls into four main categories: economics, environment, mobility and safety. All of the research is available on the website.

Some research is carried out in house, and the Foundation also commissions experts in their field to investigate key areas of transport policy.

In 2010 and 2011 the Foundation was one of the sponsors of the RAC Brighton to London Future Car Challenge. The Foundation analysed the data collected from the low carbon cars that completed the run and published its conclusions in Shades of Green (2010)[5] and The Green Charge (2011).

Research published by the Foundation, often promoted as "independent", is always designed to promote the interests of motorists.

Reports

Key publications include:

  • Roads and Reality,[6]
  • The Car in British Society,[7]
  • Governing and Paying for England’s Roads, [8]
  • Keeping the Nation Moving [9]
  • Fuel for Thought, the What, Why and How of Motoring Taxation. [10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "History". RAC Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-26. 
  2. ↑ "Stephen Glaister is new RAC Foundation director". RAC Foundation. 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2010-02-26. 
  3. ↑ "New chairman for RAC Foundation". RAC Foundation. 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2010-02-26. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "How are we governed". RAC Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-26. 
  5. ↑ "Shades of Green". RAC Foundation. 2011-05-06. Retrieved 2012-06-20. 
  6. ↑ "Roads and Reality". RAC Foundation. 2008-11-07. Retrieved 2012-06-20. 
  7. ↑ "The Car in British Society". RAC Foundation. 2009-04-17. Retrieved 2012-06-21. 
  8. ↑ "Governing and Paying for England's Roads". RAC Foundation. 2010-06-30. Retrieved 2012-06-21. 
  9. ↑ "Keeping the Nation Moving". RAC Foundation. 2011-11-21. Retrieved 2012-06-21. 
  10. ↑ "Fuel for Thought". RAC Foundation. 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2012-06-21. 

External links

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